Obsessed
by InuyashaCrazyFanGal
Summary: Sakura: A vampire obsessed girl. Sasuke: One of the hunters. Naruto: One of the many bloodsuckers. There are lots of secrets and hidden pasts, but the most haunting one is still...This fanfiction has ideas taken from Vampire Knight.
1. Obsessed

**Author: This fic is inspired by the comic, Vampire Knight and Black Bleeding Roses, another fan-fic…This fic is just going to go along with _Black Bleeding Roses'_ poem-cum-story format…I really, _really_ wanted to write a vampire fic for a long time, dammit! (Please don't flame…) **

_**Something dripped onto the ground-- **_

_**Red… **_

_**Fragrant… **_

_**I open my mouth… **_

_**Revealing white, gleaming fangs… **_

_**And I sink them into your bleeding neck… **_

"Sakura, there're no such thing as vampires!" Ino yelled. "Give me a break, okay?"

"But Ino," Sakura protested, flipping the book open and showing it to her. "You see, in the 1940, there's this guy who died of unnatural causes, and they found out that he had no blood in him at all, he—Gulp."

Ino was staring at Sakura, her hands covering her ears. "Okay, okay, I get it. Fine." Sakura said glumly, shutting the book. "You're just not interested, are you?"

Ino groaned. "Sakura, I told you there are no such thing as vampires. They're just fantasy."

"…That may not be true."

"Huh?" Sakura and Ino spun around. It was a raven-haired boy with dark eyes. He was considered to be the best-looking guy in the school, and girls always flocked after him. His name was Uchiha Sasuke.

Sakura and Ino blushed immediately. "Uh…Why, Sasuke?" Ino said in a tone that was completely opposite from what she used a few seconds ago. Sakura just swallowed. _The famous Uchiha is talking to us…_ Sasuke looked at them with his pain-filled eyes. "They exist, but they're all scum," He said simply, looking casually at Sakura, making her blush even harder. "And Sakura, obsessing over such stuff is not worth your time. If you persist on doing so, I'm afraid you'll meet a sorry end one day." Then he walked off as though he'd just said a greeting to them.

"….!" Ino and Sakura was stunned into silence. "W-Why did Sasuke say that?" Ino muttered. "He should at least respect other's interests…Sakura? Ah-Sakura!"

Sakura had her mouth wide open and didn't seem to notice Ino waving her arms in front of her. _Why did he say… that? Why…? _

"…Delicious." A red-headed boy wiped his mouth. "What do you think, Naruto?" Naruto was sitting in a dark corner, not looking at the red-haired boy. "Whatever. Just hurry up and get it over with. I hate looking at how vampires kill…"

"…How vampires kill?" The red-haired boy chuckled. "You're one yourself, Naruto …" Naruto glared at the boy. "I don't kill. I just take a portion that is just enough for me…quite a lot, I must say, but not enough to kill. Not like you, you greedy freak." The boy grinned, revealing blood all over his mouth. "You're amusing, Naruto." Naruto didn't look at the red-haired boy, but the white-faced woman on the ground. . "…Sorry, lady." He whispered.

"New report: Another woman killed in the latest murder spree. This is… goodness…" The newscaster slapped his head and carried on. "The third woman to be killed up to date. There were eleven cases of women being unconscious, with much blood lost, but not dead…" Sakura sighed and looked at the remote control. _Why did Sasuke say that to me? _She wondered for the hundredth time. _Why does he hate vampires so much? True, they're scary, but interesting…I guess he's just scared of them… Phhft. _Sakura switched off the television and looked at the clock. 7pm. Her parents were late as usual. "I'd better go and get some dinner myself before I starve to death." She said aloud.

Meanwhile, a girl with black hair and generally cute-looking was walking nervously to the mart, thinking about the latest news report about the murder spree. _S-Stop thinking about these stuff, Hinata! Get a grip! _ She consoled herself, and bought three cans of soda. After paying the money to the cashier, she walked out of the shop, opening one of the soda cans. "Ow-!" She gasped as blood began to flow freely from her finger. She'd cut her finger on the sharp side of the tab.

Hinata suddenly froze. She raised her head. And saw a person. He had longish dark hair and silvery eyes…

…Silver like the moon. He licked his lips, his eyes glinting. Hinata felt a sudden urge to drop her things and run. Run away as far as possible from this guy. The silver-eyed boy spoke. "Say lady, did you cut yourself? Poor thing…" Hinata tried to move her legs, but she couldn't. The boy walked slowly towards her, holding up her hand that had the bleeding finger. "Let me help you ease your pain…" He whispered, putting his lips against her finger.

"…NO!" Hinata gasped, looking at his fangs. "S-Stop it!"

"NEJI!" A voice yelled, causing the silver-eyed boy to spin around in shock.

A fist shot out of nowhere. Neji ducked. Naruto came into view. "Are you okay, girl"—He stopped. She wasn't okay. Her face was pale and was shaking from head to toe. Furious, he turned to Neji. "Neji, **no **blood-consuming till after eight!"

Neji pouted, his lips smeared with blood. "She bled and I came to her. It's her own fault for bleeding. You know how we can detect the smell of blood so quickly…" He sniffed the air. "Ah… What a lovely smell that is…"

**SLAP. **Naruto had slapped him on the face. "What… The…" Neji gasped, surprised. "Why the hell did you do that?" "IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE HAVE ONE KILLER IN OUR GROUP!" Naruto yelled. "WE CAN'T HAVE ANOTHER ONE, I TELL YOU, OR THOSE HUNTERS WILL COME AFTER US SOONER OR LATER!"

"…Did I say I want to kill her?" Neji smirked, holding the red side of his face. "I don't intend to…" Naruto pretended not to hear him, and turned to Hinata instead. "I'm sorry that he scared you." He said gently, and bandaged her finger. "Please, go home. It's not safe." Hinata's eyes brimmed with tears, and she nodded. Then she was off in a flash, soda cans rolling on the floor.

Neji grinned. "Don't worry, Naruto. She's too cute for me to kill her." Naruto glowered at him. "Fine, I know that it is hard, Neji, but we could really be caught like this." Neji rolled his eyes. "Those hunters can come out at any time, it doesn't really matter when we feed or not."

"That really hit the spot." Sakura said, rubbing her stomach. "The noodles sure was good." She looked at her watch. **8:30pm. **_I should be getting home now. _

_**I lay sprawled on the ground **_

_**Begging for help **_

_**I'm hungry **_

_**I'm so hungry **_

_**Please come to me **_

_**Help me! **_

Humming a tune, she slowly walked back home.

_**You came to me **_

_**Asking me what's wrong **_

_**I hold your face close to mine **_

_**And I drain all of your blood right there and then **_

"…!" Two bright, glowing, red eyes peered out from the darkness.

**Author: About the _School Of Horror, _I think I _may_ discontinue it because I still haven't got any ideas…And the fic _The Foot That Brought Them Together _is gonna end soon! Suggestions are welcome and please, please don't flame! (Even though my poetry sucks!) Thanks :) **


	2. Bitten

_"…!" Two bright, glowing, red eyes peered out from the darkness. _

Sakura halted in shock. _A-Am I seeing things?_ She blinked. There was no one. _I **AM **seeing things. _But she didn't feel relaxed or relieved. _Why? _

Then someone grabbed her in an embrace from behind, startling her.

"Wh-Who the?" She spluttered. _I have to turn around! _Sakura's mind was screaming at her. _TURN AROUND AND PUSH THE PERSON— _

**BIZZ— **

-- The streets lamps near her went out. Sakura couldn't see anything. "…Hmm." The person whispered, his breath tickling her neck. "Who-Who are…" Then she gasped as the stranger started to kiss her neck. _His lips… Are deathly cold! _

**_Don't… Please Stop it _**

**_Just kill me and get it over with _**

**_Stop being so gentle to me _**

"….!" Sakura felt something heavy being pushed into her neck. Then she heard the sound…

… Of her blood being drained away…

**_Because your gentleness _**

**_Gives me… a false sense of the emotion _**

**_Called "Love" _**

"THE FIRST STAKE!" A voice yelled suddenly. Sakura felt something brush past her cheek—and the stranger released her. There was a flash of bright yellow--

**BOOM. **

Sakura fell to the ground, her hands touching the wounded spot on her neck. The lights went on and she could make out a figure fleeing in the distance. "…I'm…" She looked at her hands. They were stained with blood. "That stranger was… a…" Sakura couldn't bring herself to say it. _…A vampire… _

"Damn. The bastard got away." A familiar voice growled. Sakura turned around in shock. Raven-colored hair. Pale skin. It was Sasuke, clutching a weird-looking knife in one hand and a black packet in another. "…Filthy." Sasuke muttered, and turned to Sakura. "You okay?" He asked, not seeming surprised at all. Sakura clutched her wounded neck, trying to stand up.

Sasuke glanced at her injured neck and pushed her lightly down. "Got bitten, huh…"

He took a transparent-looking bottle from his backpack. "Does it hurt?" He asked. Sakura shook her head, feeling somewhat dazed. "Good." Sasuke said, pouring the liquid from the bottle onto a piece of cloth, and held it against her neck.

"…!"

"OW!" Sakura yelled, smoke emitting from the cloth and the wound. The pain was excruciating. Tears came out from her eyes and she tried to pry Sasuke's hand off. "Sasuke, stop it!" She screamed. Sasuke held her steady, his glaring eyes fixed on the wound. Then all of a sudden, it stopped. Sakura bent over, her body trembling.

"What…was…that?" She managed to ask.

Sasuke kept the cloth and the bottle back into his bag. "Vinegar." He said simply, standing up. "And don't ask me any more questions. You ought to know… Aren't you interested in vampires?" At the word _vampires, _Sakura started to cry. "I-I-…" She choked, her hands rubbing her eyes furiously to stop the tears from falling. It didn't work. Sasuke looked at her, sighed, and pulled her to her feet. "C'mon. I'll see you home." He said glumly, sounding as though he did not have any other choice.

Then they walked. Sasuke had pasted a plaster over her wound. Sakura was still in shock, but her mind was swarming with questions. All the information she'd read about vampires seemed to disappear. "W-Will I… become a vampire?" She asked quietly. Sasuke smirked. "No. You weren't bitten by a **special.**" Sakura visibly relaxed.

After that they continued walking in silence.

"…This is your home, isn't it?" Sasuke asked when they reached an ordinary-looking house.

"Yes, but how did you… know?" Sakura blinked. Sasuke looked away. "It is none of your business. And **_stay away _**from the streets after eight." Sakura blinked again and went to the front door. "Well, thanks—Huh?"

Sasuke was gone.

"I told you those hunters could strike any time." Neji said, raising his eyebrows as a dirty-looking Naruto went into the room. "But still, it's quite a rare thing for a careful guy like you to get hurt." Naruto moaned and collapsed on the battered-looking sofa. "Just my luck. I nearly got stabbed by a stake." He grimaced.

"A **stake?**" Neji's eyes widened. He went over and sniffed the air around Naruto. " Hm- Tipped with holy water. The stake itself is an explosive, huh?"

Naruto nodded. "But I had my fill, anyway. That girl's blood…" His eyes narrowed. Neji noticed Naruto's expression and chuckled. "A vampire **is** a vampire… You desire her blood and you want to drain it till the very end?"

The blonde boy closed his eyes. "I don't kill, remember?"

But a smile, a devious smile, was forming on his lips.

**_Delicious _**

**_So red _**

**_So sweet _**

**_So fragrant _**

**_I want your blood _**

**_I want more _**

**Author: I GOT 105 REVIEWS FOR _THE FOOT THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER! _OMG! (Jumps around screaming) I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! **


	3. Wondering

Sakura woke up, feeling dazed. It was a Saturday. No school. _Was that a dream?_ She slowly crawled out of bed, and lumbered to the bathroom to wash up. Sakura splashed her face with water and touched her neck. A plaster.

It wasn't a dream after all. She'd actually seen a vampire and been bitten by one. And Sasuke had saved her. _Uchiha Sasuke. _Sakura choked and quickly spat out all the toothpaste that was in her mouth. _Sasuke saved me? Oh…My…God. _

**_I GOTTA TELL INO ABOUT THIS!_**

But as she reached out for the phone, she stopped.

**(Imaging the entire school female population running after her, their faces filled with anger and aiming bombs…With Ino being one of them.) **

_Um… Maybe not. _

Sakura went to the kitchen. Her parents weren't there. "Dear Sakura, breakfast is on the table. We'll be out till eleven pm. Lots of love, your mom and dad… As usual." Sakura mumbled as she stared at the note on the dining table. She took a piece of buttered toast and began to eat.

"Still angry that you didn't get that vampire?"

Sasuke looked up, his eyes blazing. It was a boy who spoke. He had two red marks on his face, and wearing a windbreaker. He sat down beside Sasuke on the couch. "Why did you go off on your own yesterday? If I was present, that vampire would have been ashes by now." Sasuke's eyes narrowed and the fire in them blazed even more.

"I work _alone_, Kiba." He said in a flat tone.

Kiba sighed. "Still as same as ever, aren't you…Why can't you loosen up a bit, anyway?"

"What are you trying to say?" Sasuke snarled.

Kiba bit his lip, as if trying hard not to snap back. "Whatever." He turned and picked up his pet dog, Akamaru. "I'm off." Then he closed the door with a slam. Sasuke held his forehead with his hands. _How long can I last? _His hand went to his neck. The mark. The dreaded mark was still there. He gritted his teeth and kicked the chair next to him. It went spinning and crashed onto the floor.

**_I'd thought _**

**_A long, long time ago _**

**_That you were "good" _**

**_On our side _**

**_I loved you _**

**_I'd admired you _**

**_I wanted to be just like you _**

**_But— _**

**_You turned out to be just the opposite in the end. _**

"But why had Sasuke come to rescue me?" Sakura said out loud, lying on her bed. (She had nothing to do.) "Does he hunt down vampires?" (**A light bulb flashes here.) **"Wait… He **hunts **down vampires? That's… so… COOL!" She screamed the last word.

_But vampires are not really fun at all. _She shuddered upon recalling yesterday's events. _Hearing… my blood being drained was…_Sakura buried herself under her blankets. _…Frightening… _

"ARRGH! STOP IT, GIRL! VAMPIRES DON'T APPEAR IN THE DAYLIGHT!"

_…But what if they **do**…?And I'm all **alone **in this house! _

Sakura gulped, grabbed her bag, and dashed out of the room.

"Yes… A packet of garlic please… Akamaru, hold still!" Kiba passed some money to the lady at the cashier. She raised her eyebrows but gave him the change. "Thank you and we hope you visit again."

Kiba walked out of the shop, with Akamaru following at his feet. "…There's so much time to kill." He said, looking at the busy road in front of him. Akamaru barked. "The park? Okay then…" Kiba turned and went right…

"Ow!"

He'd collided with a girl. A pretty good-looking girl with dark hair. "Whoa!" Kiba reached out his hand and grabbed hold of the girl before she fell. "Watch it." The girl blinked and regained her balance. "S-Sorry." She apologized profusely.

"No problem at all"—

Akamaru barked loudly, interrupting the conversation. Kiba's face turned serious as he looked at the dog.

"Are you serious?"

Akamaru barked, as if to answer yes. Kiba looked at the confused girl. "What's your name?" His voice sounded anxious. "H-Hinata…" She responded nervously.

"Hinata? Did… something happen to you yesterday?"

Hinata's face went white when she heard his question. "I…I… Nothing." She managed to stammer. Kiba's eyes narrowed dangerously. "_Nothing _happened to you? Are you sure?" Hinata clasped her hands tightly, and looked down on the floor instead of facing him. "I…I…I know you won't believe this but I… I encountered a vampire yesterday." She looked up, expecting the boy to scoff at her.

Kiba didn't. "Where did… _it _bite you?"

Hinata held up her finger shakily. _He believes me… _

Kiba looked at the wound, and heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

He took a plaster from his pocket and stuck it on her finger. "Don't wander around the streets at night. One experience for you is enough, right?" Kiba said in a casual tone, and walked off. "Nice meeting you."

**Author: The reason why Sasuke hates vampires will be revealed in the next chapter… And review! (Waves madly) **


	4. The Past I

Ten-year old Sasuke stood at the front door. "A…Ani…Aniki…" He said hesitantly.

A boy of around age sixteen looked up. "Sasuke? What's wrong?" Sasuke handed out a stake to his brother. "Oto-san told me to give this to you." He said, looking away with a look of jealousy on his face.

The boy smiled without emotion, and patted Sasuke on the head. "Believe me, little brother, being a hunter isn't as good as you think." He said softly. Sasuke looked up at him, pouting. "But Itachi! Vampire hunters help get the world rid of evil!" Itachi reacted by just shaking his head and walking slowly out the door. Then he suddenly turned back and threw the stake to Sasuke, who caught it with an air of surprise.

"This is a present to you, then." Itachi said simply. Sasuke stared at the silver knife. "Really? Aniki, really?" He asked, with an air of disbelief. Itachi nodded, as though it wasn't that a big deal to him. "Sure. Anything for you, little bro."

"…Thank you Aniki!" Sasuke piped, beaming, clutching the stake as though it was some priceless treasure. Itachi nodded and continued walking.

_…Kill me with this stake, little brother… _

_…Kill me with this stake one day. _

"Yay! I'm a v-amp-ire h-un-ter!" Sasuke sang to himself as he went up the stairs. Then he looked around cautiously, and carefully hid the stake in his cupboard before going to bed. "I'll be a super good vampire hunter just like Itachi one day!"

The Uchiha clan, the clan Sasuke was from, was world-famous for being vampire hunters. There were also other clans who hunt and kill vampires, but the Uchihas stood out the most. One of the main reasons was Itachi, who had done the almost impossible task of killing a hundred vampires in one day.

Sasuke had always envied his big brother. His parents—His father, mostly—always expected the best from his elder son. Itachi was always in the spotlight, with Sasuke being in a corner…

_**If only… **_

_**If only you could **_

_**Just see that I exist **_

"So, Itachi, how did you do today?" This simple question was asked with a stern and perhaps, demanding voice. Sasuke was at the stairs, listening intently. It was around one am at the time. Itachi tossed his bag of tricks to one side, and glanced at the stairway. Sasuke ducked out of sight.

Itachi didn't seem to care, though. "I'm fine." He said in a hollow tone, throwing his blood-stained gloves on the floor. His father, Fugaku frowned and slowly put down his cup of tea. "…What kind of attitude is that?"

Sasuke tensed. Itachi brushed his fringe from his eyes and blinked tiredly at his father. "…I'm…sorry. I got two today."

Sasuke heard the sound of his father grunting—a sound of approval. Then he heard Itachi coming up the stairs. _Oops. _He got up and tried to run to his room, but Itachi caught his little brother by the collar and dumped him on the bed. "… Aniki!" Sasuke groaned, sitting up on the bed.

"Go to sleep. It's late." Itachi said without emotion.

Sasuke made a face and slipped under the covers.

_**We're so close **_

_**Your hand holding mine **_

_**But yet **_

_**I can feel you drifting apart **_

_**Further and further away from me **_

_**Why? **_

The next day—

"…. Hm…AH"—Sasuke yawned widely and hopped off his bed. He'd had a troubled sleep. Some dream about blood.

Sasuke's and Itachi's mother, Mikoto, was preparing breakfast as usual. "…Where's Aniki and Oto-san?" Sasuke questioned as he sped down the stairs, two at a time. Mikoto gasped as Sasuke slipped and—

**THUMP **

In the afternoon, when Itachi finally appeared at the front gate, Sasuke ran to greet his big brother. "Where did you go?" Sasuke inquired. "Were you out for vampire hunting? But don't vampires come out at night?" Itachi didn't answer Sasuke's questions, however. He merely glanced at his little brother's knee. "…Hurt yourself? Was it painful?" He asked, with just the slightest hint of concern in his voice. Sasuke's eyes brightened. _Aniki is… concerned for me! _"No, it wasn't. I didn't cry at all."

"Well, fine." Itachi went into the house.

_**You went to me **_

_**Whispering those three words in my ear **_

_**I was filled with ecstasy **_

_**And yet, suspicion **_

_**Never have you said those words to me **_

_**Why now? **_

_**I knew the reason soon after **_

_**When you slowly put your lips at my neck **_

_**And bit **_

**Author: Hello to all readers… Happy Valentine's Day! **


	5. The Past II

"Sasuke, help me get some garlic from the mart, will you?" Mikoto called from the kitchen. Sasuke, upon hearing those words, perked up. "Garlic?" He said excitedly. "Is it going to be used for vampire hunting?" Mikoto smiled at Sasuke's beaming face. "No, dear. It will be used for our dinner tonight." The boy's face fell slightly but took the money from his mother. "I'll be back in a jiffy!" He called as he went out the door.

A few minutes after Sasuke went off, Itachi and Fugaku came in. "Welcome back." Mikoto said softly. "Dinner will be ready soon—I sent Sasuke to get some garlic for our dinner…" Fugaku nodded and went to the coffee table. Itachi watched his father drinking tea and his mother cooking in the kitchen.

**What a peaceful moment… **

**Shall I disrupt it? **

**Or let it be? **

**I'm been waiting to do _this_ for a long time… **

**…For such a long time. **

Sasuke panted as he ran through the opened gate. "I'm home!" He shouted. "I got the…Huh?" He turned and looked at the opened gate. _The gate's open? But…_ He glanced at the doorway. _Oto-san and Aniki are back home! _A feeling of happiness swelled up in him, but…

_Wait. Something is wrong. Something's…very wrong. _Sasuke walked slowly up to the door, and flung it open.

**Cold…Icy… **

**Pure…Snow. **

**What is 'white'? **

**What is 'snow'? **

**It means—something that is not red. **

**Then what is that… **

**_Red something? _**

"…!" The black-haired boy stared at the scene with his terrified onyx eyes. A river of blood greeted him. "…What…is happening here?" He whispered, shaking. _All a joke. Someone's playing a joke on me. _Sasuke walked shakily into the room. His parents lay on the floor, apparently…

…Dead….

The boy blinked at his dead parents, trying not to believe what is happening. _I can't…look at them! **Don't LOOK at THEM! **_His mind screamed. _If I don't look at them, this nightmare will go away! _

Sasuke ran up the stairs and flung open the door to his room—

Something bloodied, shiny and metal lay on the floor. It was the stake that Itachi gave him. The precious stake. Sasuke picked it up and looked at it, his brain trying to process the image. _Why is it here? Why is it all red? Why?_

Then he suddenly looked up just in time to see his brother sinking white, gleaming fangs into his neck. Sasuke stood rooted to the spot as Itachi sucked his blood greedily. He didn't move. He **couldn't **move.

_Itachi's… _

_…A vampire… _

His arms had a mind of its own as he swung the stake, aiming it at his brother's heart. Itachi backed off before the stake could go into him.

"…!"

Sasuke dropped the stake, his eyes widening with fear. Itachi was wiping his blood stained mouth. In fact, blood stained his face, his hands, his clothes… Blood was everywhere. It was sickening. It was nauseating. _…Itachi's a vampire. I tried to kill my own brother. _"…Why….?" Sasuke dropped to the ground, his eyes overflowing with tears. "..What's going on?"

Itachi bent down and stared at Sasuke with his red, emotionless eyes. "…Did you see your parents down there?" He whispered at Sasuke's ear. "They are dead."

The boy hung his head down, not saying a word as tears of fear rolled over his pale cheeks and dropped onto the ground. Itachi continued. "I killed them, little brother. But I won't let you die. You'll become a vampire like me, too. In fact…"

Sasuke gasped suddenly. The part of his neck where Itachi had bitten him was burning. Hot. "In fact… The change is already starting now." Itachi stood up, and tossed the stake to his brother.

Sasuke managed to look up amidst the terrible pain.

"By the way, I killed them with this stake…Enjoy immortal life, brother."

Without another word, without an expression on his face, Itachi vanished.

"….That boy's still not speaking a word." Kiba's mother muttered worriedly to her husband. "And he's not socializing with Kiba, either. In fact, he doesn't socialize with anyone!" Her husband sighed. "Just let it go, dear. He'd been through a terrible ordeal…"

"…" Kiba stood at the door, listening to his parents' conversation. Then he slowly crept to one of the rooms and peeped in. It was the boy, last of the famous Uchihas.

Sasuke buried his head in his arms, not seeming to notice Kiba.

_I understand why you gave me that stake, Itachi…I'll kill you one day. I swear… I'll kill you one day! _

Tears stained the bedspread as he curled up tighter.

**Author: It seems that the " School Of Horror" is pretty much more popular than this fic! Well, I think that "Obsessed" is better! I like this fic more than the other one! (Sweatdrops) PLEASE review! I need reviews for this fic! MORE REVIEWS! (Screams) (Readers: This author is a wacko.) PS: One of the poems in this chapter is sort of adapted from the comic book "Vampire Knight." **


	6. Newcomer

"Sakura." Ino said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at her pink-haired, troubled-looking friend. "What's up with you? And the plaster on your neck?" Sakura stared at the whiteboard, her eyes glazed. But she responded. "Nothing. I hurt myself at home."

"…" Ino's eyes narrowed even further. Then she had an idea. "VAMPIRES IN SCHOOL!" She shrieked, making Sakura jump up from her seat.

"VAMPIRES? WHERE?" Sakura yelled, looking around frantically. Everyone in the class blinked at her in shock. After realizing that Ino had played a trick on her, she sat down, looking embarrassed. "_Ino_, why in the hell did you do that?" Sakura said angrily. "You know this is a sensitive topic to me, don't you?" Ino crossed her arms, raising one eyebrow. "Yes, but now your reaction is not the same." She observed.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, surprised. Ino snorted."Well, your eyes used to _shine _at the word _vampire_, but now you look… scared."

Ino leaned closer to Sakura, her eyes still filled with suspicion. "_What are you hiding from me, Sakura?_" She said in a dangerous voice. Sakura gulped, but—

"AAH! SASUKE-KUN!"

All girls started calling Sasuke's name, fan-girl style, as he strolled into the class. Ino joined in too, and Sakura heaved a sigh of relief. Sasuke turned and looked at the crowd fan-girls calling his name, frowned, and went to Sakura's desk.

"Hey. Let me see your wound." Sasuke said casually, but his expression seemed annoyed. Still, he always looked annoyed at school. (Probably because of the amount of noise pollution he have to put up with, and fan-girls stalking him and all.) Sakura stared. **Am I dreaming? Sasuke's talking to me. Me. But then again... **

"Um, I don't think this is a good place, S-Sasuke…" She stammered. Sasuke, without a word, pulled her out of the class and into a dark corner of the corridor before anyone could say or do anything.

Sakura blinked nervously as Sasuke slowly peeled off the plaster on her neck. _He-He's so close to me… I can feel his breath… _

"…These things can't wait." Sasuke muttered to her as he leaned closer to look at the wound. "I treated you yesterday, but…" He gritted his teeth as Itachi came to mind. "…But… I need your wound to heal quickly. Vampires' fangs secrete a kind of substance that keeps your wounds open, so that they identify you the next time and… and suck you dry." Sakura hardly dared to breathe as Sasuke replaced the plaster on her wound. "I-I don't understand." She stuttered. Sasuke blinked, and turned away, his back facing her. "Teeth marks are unique to each vampire." He said softly, but his voice was full of hatred.

**I staggered away, feeling the pain of my broken skin **

**You took a step forward **

**And held out your hand **

**I hesitated **

**Will you be like the _others? _**

**You grabbed my hand **

**I noticed how your expression was **

**That's when I knew **

**You're on my side **

"Class, we have a new student today." The teacher said. Everyone sat up straight on their seats. "His name is… Naruto."

The blue-eyed boy stepped into the class, looking rather tired. "Hi." He said, stretching. "Pleased to meet you." The girls, who had been glaring at Sakura for the past few minutes, gazed at the newcomer with sparkling eyes. "He's cute." "Yeah. A blond." "Sasuke's cuter though."

The raven-haired boy sat up straight in his seat, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip hard, but not because one of the girls had mentioned his name. It was the boy. The new boy had caused this response. Naruto did not appear to notice, though. He grinned and walked to Sakura. Sakura swallowed. _The guy **is **good-looking. _She thought to herself.

"…I really enjoyed it." Naruto whispered in her ear, then went and sat down on an empty chair.

_I really enjoyed it. _

Sakura whipped around and looked at Naruto, her eyes wide. _He reminds me of someone… I've met him before… That… he's…just so… familiar. _The boy looked back at her, and licked his lips, his face mischievous… as though he knew something that Sakura didn't know. Sakura blinked and quickly turned around. The way he licked his lips disturbed her.

**Author: Comment on this… I'm going to update very soon, perhaps tomorrow... Please give me more feedback! PLEASE, i beg of you! (Cries)**


	7. Suspicion

**_One Day Ago _**

"Neji, I think I'm going to school."

"…WHAT?" Neji gasped, dropping his cup of tea.

Naruto looked at the broken pieces of china on the floor. "What's wrong with that?" He asked, bending down.

Neji crossed his arms. 'Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's a good change…" He turned and poured himself tea in a new cup. "It's just that you're such a worried guy, I can't imagine you doing this. It could be, say, another _deathtrap_, like how you would put it."

Naruto picked up the sharp edge of the cup. "Not this time," He said, pricking himself with it. Blood flowed out of the cut instantly, and he licked it.

"Is it because of that girl you're so concerned about?" Neji asked. "You can leave her dry any time, so why are you doing this?"

Naruto stood up and grinned, showing his fangs.

"It'll be fun."

Sakura looked at the ground as she walked. _I'm really tired…And that new guy…C-Could he be the vampire? But it's not possible…WAIT! What am I thinking about? Vampires don't appear in the daylight! Arrgh… _She flexed her sore shoulder muscles and yawned. _I think I'll just go to the library and… then go home… sleep… _

**BHAM! **

Sakura's books fell to the floor. A hand caught hers, steadying her as her legs gave way. Sakura gasped, but she still fell, anyway. "Are you…okay?" The voice asked, his hand warm on Sakura's. "Yeah… I'm okay…Thanks…" She looked up. And saw the transfer student.

Fear started to creep up from within her, but she allowed herself to think for a few seconds. _His hand is warm. Not…icy-cold like how the vampire…_At that, she relaxed. _I must be thinking too much… _Sakura took a deep breath and stood up. "I-I'm okay…" She repeated, her face turning crimson, because Naruto was still holding her hand. The blonde boy grinned. Sakura looked at his mouth. _No fangs… He really isn't. _"Glad to hear that… Watch where you're going, okay?" He said.

**I called out your name **

**But you won't answer **

**I kept calling **

**But you just wouldn't… **

**Answer! **

**I started to run after you **

**Trying to catch hold of you **

**I yelled and screamed **

**Why are you avoiding me? **

**But as my legs moved **

**Yours did too **

**From another's point of view **

**It was almost hilarious **

**It seems like we're chasing one another **

**Like how little kids do **

"…!" Another hand grabbed Naruto's hand. (The hand that was holding Sakura's.) It was Sasuke. Naruto looked at Sasuke in surprise, but his expression of bewilderment turned into amusement as he let go of Sakura. "Huh?" Sakura observed the two boys. Naruto seemed to be almost challenging Sasuke as he stared at the vampire hunter straight in the eye. The pale boy frowned, like he always did. But this time, his expression was different… More as though… As though he hated and feared at the same time. "You're Uchiha Sasuke, I believe?" The blonde smiled, his tone friendly. Sasuke didn't respond, his eyes fixed on Naruto's. Naruto turned to Sakura. "You're really…" He started.

"Really?" Sakura asked, curious about what he had to say.

"…Really pretty, you know." Naruto said, and brushed past her and Sasuke. "…P-Pretty?" Sakura's eyes widened, turning crimson again. Sasuke looked even more annoyed.

"See you in school tomorrow." Naruto called out good-naturedly as he walked.

The couple watched as he walked out of sight. Then Sasuke turned to Sakura, his face furious. Sakura gulped. "Come with me." He said shortly, and grabbed her hand again as he marched her off to another place. "…Wait… Where are you taking me?" Sakura spluttered. Sasuke's grip on her hand tightened.

"To my place!"

Kiba coughed, entering a smoke-filled room. "H-Hey, maybe you should rest for a bit." He said, fanning himself with his hand. The smoking test tube fell to the floor and broke. "I just don't get it!" The figure groaned in desperation. "I don't know what is wrong, but I'm certain that I followed the instructions correctly this time!" Kiba sighed, making his way to the experiment table despite of all the smoke that was blurring his vision. "Maybe the instructions were wrong, then." He said thoughtfully.

The figure turned. It was a girl with greenish eyes and four blonde ponytails. And she looked pissed. "The book is never wrong!" She snapped. "It has been in my family for generations, Kiba! And they've managed to do it! My **grandfather **has managed to do it!" She banged her hand on the table, rattling the test-tubes and apparatus. Kiba looked at her and blinked, not seeming shocked at all. "Well, maybe your grandfather knows something that this book doesn't, Temari." Temari sighed and closed the battered-looking, leathered book in front of her. "Perhaps." She said in a low, tired voice. "Perhaps."

**Author: The real story is starting now, actually… I guess I spent too much time on the introductions… Please read on. I think I'll focus on this story more than "The School Of Horror", but I'll update the other fanfic soon, too. I personally think that this fanfic is more well-written than the others I've done… **


	8. Heal

**BANG. **Kiba sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Sasuke's back… Hmm?" He blinked. "He brought a guest with him… I'm going up. Are you coming?"

Temari turned, her eyes fixed on her experiment table. Then she opened her book again. Kiba, noticing this, sighed. "Can't you take a break for once?" He asked tiredly. No response. He gave up and went out of the room.

"…A potion…" Temari muttered, looking at her failed experiment product. "…A potion… That can change a vampire…Back to a _human_…"

**Fantasies are… just fantasies **

**Products of imaginations **

**But why **

**Why do we fantasize then? **

**What is the point of living in dreams **

**And knowing we'll have to wake up one day? **

Sakura gulped as she looked at the house Sasuke pulled her into. Well, actually it wasn't a house. A huge mansion, to be exact. She turned, soaking in the view before her. **_Now this is something you don't see everyday._**

Another boy came into view. **_Hm? Is he Sasuke's brother or something? _**Sakura wondered as she glanced at the boy. He was pretty normal except for two red marks on his face. **_Maybe he's a hunter, too._**

"…Who's the girl?" Kiba asked suddenly. Sakura jumped.

"None of your business." Sasuke retorted immediately as he tampered with a black box he was now holding. "Go away."

**_…That's rather rude of him._** Sakura thought. **_…Wait a minute, how can I be so calm? He dragged me to his house and I'm not even asking why! _**"…I…I am… Sakura." Words came out of her mouth before she could stop them. Kiba nodded. "Um… You're Sasuke's friend or something?" He asked. "I-I… I'm a classmate of his." Words continued to come out automatically from her mouth. **_Idiot, stop it!_**

Sasuke wordlessly walked back to Sakura, giving her another shock. "…Wait!" Kiba blinked when he looked at what Sasuke was holding. "You're going to perform the ritual on her?" Sasuke glared at the boy. "Can't you see, blockhead? She's been bitten on the neck." He pulled Sakura to him and held her head up. "Uh… Hey!" She protested, her face turning red again. Sasuke appeared not to notice her reaction. "On the neck. Here." He continued, showing the bite marks to Kiba.

"…Bitten on the neck? Oh, no." Kiba slapped his head with his hand. **_Temari's gonna… _**

As if on cue, a weak voice went, "Gaara?"

Sasuke released his hold on Sakura. She bit her lip, still blushing, and looked at the second newcomer. "A… girl?" She asked, looking confused. Temari was standing at the door, looking as though someone punched her in the face. "No… It's not Gaara, Temari." Kiba said in a reassuring tone, but it wasn't really working.

"You weren't there!" Temari snapped, her gaze almost as scary Sasuke's. "Tell me if it was Gaara who bit her!" She asked, her voice fierce and demanding. But even so, Sakura couldn't help noticing her voice had a panicky tone to it. "…I can't be sure." The pale boy replied, his voice emotionless, but Sakura noticed something. Something didn't match his tone.

His eyes.

"Can't be sure? What do you mean by that?" She shouted. "From what I know, Gaara is the only one who bites in the neck so far, but"—

"There you have it." Sasuke interrupted. "It should be Gaara, then."

Temari halted, her eyes wide. Then she walked slowly back to the basement, her hands covering her face. "…Sasuke, you were too much." Kiba said angrily as she went out of sight. "You know what had happened, and"—

"The same thing had happened to me, and I got out of it." Sasuke interrupted again, his face furious. "If she keeps on trying to do some fantasy potion that doesn't even exist, or mop around, it's not my problem. Sakura, come with _me_."

Sakura didn't speak a word as she followed Sasuke to a room. Kiba just stood, rooted to the ground, his fists clenched.

**_…Sasuke…isn't what I thought him to be… He acts like an arrogant kid at school… But now… I feel I'm seeing the real side of him—bitter, angry and… _**

**_…Sad? _**

She walked behind Sasuke, her eyes never leaving his back. Sasuke turned, opening a door, and Sakura followed.

"…This is… your…?" Sakura couldn't help asking when she went into the room. It was all black. A computer on a desk and a bed sat in a corner of the room. There was also a cupboard, but that was all. "This is my room." Sasuke said, sitting on the bed. "Come sit here." **_Wait… come sit… on the bed? With… With him? _**Sakura turned red again. "Why are you standing there like a blockhead? Hurry up." Sasuke said, the usual look of annoyance replacing his expressionless features.

She obeyed. Sasuke held out the necklace he was holding. Sakura stared at it, trying to make out the words.

**_Blood _**

**_Sacrifice _**

**_Soul _**

_Huh? What does that mean? _She wondered. The necklace was a brilliant gold, and tear-shaped. A bright red gem sat right in the middle of it. Sasuke placed the necklace on her neck, and took out some powdery-like substance from his pocket. Spreading the white powder on her wound, he closed his eyes and started to chant in a language which Sakura could not understand.

There was a flash of light and Sakura felt something being secreted from her wound. In a few seconds, it was over, and the red gem in the necklace turned black. Sasuke stood up, handing her some cotton pads. "W-What did you do?" She asked, feeling worried. "I removed the vampire's anti-healing substance from your body. The wound can heal now, but it'll take a couple of days. During these periods, I advise you to stay at home." He replied, putting the necklace on the table. "…What are you going to do with that, then?" Sakura asked, pointing at it. "Take the gem and check what kind of vampire bit you." Sasuke frowned.

"What kind of _vampire_? I thought vampires are just… vampires, you know. They have different categories?" The girl asked bravely, because now Sasuke was looking extremely annoyed for some reason. The vampire hunter opened his mouth, looking as though he wanted to ask her to shut up and go home, but he changed his mind and answered her question.

"There are three types. First, naturally-born vampires—no, they are not the undead. You could call them half-humans who depend on other's blood to survive. They are just born that way. Legend was that their ancestors made a pact with some magician who granted them eternal life, but in return, they change into blood-sucking…" He paused for a while there, wanting to say something but stopped himself. "The second types are... **_specials._** They are vampires that have the power to turn their human victims _into_ their own kind. The third types-- those who are bitten by a special and... turn into vampires themselves." His tone was especially bitter at the last sentence, and Sakura knew it was time to go home.

She got up from his bed. "…I-I suppose I'll be going then," She said hurriedly.

**Author: Please review! (I must have said this a million times already! ) **


	9. Fallen Prey Again

"So, how was school?" Neji asked lazily from the couch. Naruto threw his bag on the table and groaned. "Nothing much, really. A couple of girls were going crazy, but not…well." The silver-eyed boy caught the hint in Naruto's words, and grinned mischievously, his fangs prominent. "Don't tell me you've taken a liking to that girl… How's she like?"

"Huh? Haven't I described her before?" The blonde exclaimed in shock. "She…She… um… She has green eyes."

**SILENCE **

Neji sweatdropped. "And then?" _It's the first time I've seen him like that… _

"It-It's none of your business, actually." Naruto snapped, trying to sound angry. "I know what you're thinking. She's _mine_, get it?" Neji swept his long fringe away from his face. "Ooh… Possessive now, huh? Come on, you've only tasted her blood once, and now you're smitten with her?" Blood rushed to Naruto's face upon those words. "I-I'm not, I- I'm don't-I don't like her." He stuttered.

Neji rolled his silver eyes. "Whatever. I'm going off." He got up from the couch, and vanished without a trace. Naruto leaned against the wall, still in shock, and his face slightly red. _I **like **a human being? W-What…What the hell… _

**WHAP! **

Hinata yelped in pain, rubbing her bruised knee. _I'm always so clumsy. ALWAYS so clumsy. _She thought angrily to herself, and got up slowly. "I have to go home soon… I wouldn't want t-that to happen again…" The girl shuddered when she thought of how her encounter with a vampire went. The bite on her finger had healed, but the event had left a deep impression on her mind. The vampire in question had long hair, sliver eyes, and a pale complexion. _…I wonder how many have fallen prey? I was lucky enough to be saved…And that guy I met on the street recently…He could communicate with his dog? But how can that be? Humans can't understand dog language! _

Hinata started to walk. She'd taken a new path since the incident, and stayed clear of the path where she'd met the vampire. _But I've met a vampire. And vampires are not supposed to exist—they're a legend, a myth. _She adjusted the bag on her shoulders, the pain of her fall still lingering in her knee. _I guess anything can happen in this world. _

Kiba was in a bad mood.

In a very bad mood. Even Akamaru restrained itself from the usual noisy barks. _Damn that stupid Sasuke. _Kiba gritted his teeth as he recalled the event that had happened… It was dreadful, one that was similar to Sasuke's, but not as tragic.

…Yet.

He felt his hairs standing up when he thought of the murderous-looking green eyes, the ignorant expression, the flaming red hair… The thought of that guy scared him. He'd gotten a glimpse of him once during a mission, but that was it.

**One moment **

**You were a person **

**A normal person **

**Who hated **

**Who wept **

**Who laughed **

**Who _loved_. **

**The next moment **

**Your face grew solemn **

**Your mouth curling in a grin **

**So sick **

**So evil. **

**You still laughed. **

**You still hated. **

**But neither did you weep **

**…Or love. **

**How could you change so much **

**Within this short span of time? **

**Why? **

Akamaru spotted—and sniffed someone in the distance. A smell of dried human blood. Uh-Oh. _Not _good. It barked to Kiba, making him jump. "W-What did you say, Akamaru?" Kiba spluttered, shocked. The dog barked again, and bit Kiba's foot lightly, dragging him to the right. "OW! Okay, okay, I get it!" Kiba yelped, and Akamaru released its grip. He dug into his pockets, a look of determination replacing his troubled one.

"…!"

Hinata gasped in fear as a person suddenly appeared out of nowhere and pinned her to the ground.

"Hello. We meet again." Neji grinned and got off her. Hinata turned and sat, her whole body trembling with fear. _The vampire. He's the vampire I've met. I'm going to be… to be sucked dry! _She tried to get up. _Get up! Get up! GET UP! RUN! _Amazingly, her feet listened and she sped off in the opposite direction as fast as she could. Neji looked as she ran, a little shocked, and also amused. _Wow. She's the first one to run. All the others just stood there. _His eyes narrowed as he leapt after her. _Guess I'll just have to… _

"Hypnotize you!"

Hinata stopped as the vampire suddenly appeared in front of her. As she was running pretty fast, she couldn't stop in time and went crashing onto him. Neji blinked, his eyes alight with more amusement, and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"L-Let go of-of me…" She managed to splutter.

_She still can manage to protest? Wow. _His silver eyes bore into Hinata's. Hinata tried to look away.

**_"Look at me."_** He said, his voice now sounding different. Much lower, actually. The girl was immediately taken in. Neji opened his mouth immediately and sank his fangs into her neck. Dark red blood started flowing out of the wound. The vampire bit harder, with the anti-healing substance injecting into her bloodstream as he gathered the blood. _I wouldn't want her wound to heal that fast. _

Kiba panted as he ran. "Where's the vampire?" He asked Akamaru, who was in his windbreaker. Akamaru barked urgently. "WHAT? HE'S GOTTEN A PREY?" Kiba yelled. "HOW MUCH FURTHER?" Akamaru barked again, and Kiba took out a stake from his backpack.

Neji halted suddenly and withdrew his fangs from Hinata's neck. _Someone's approaching. I'd better leave. _He licked the blood from his chin and put Hinata gently on the ground. "Still, your blood was delicious…I'll be coming back for more."

Kiba reached a clearing. No sign of a vampire. But there was an unconscious girl on the ground. _The victim. I was too late. _

He ran quickly to her. Her neck was stained with blood, and more was coming out from her wound. Spurting, to be more exact. "Damn all vampires." He took out a piece of cloth and pressed it against the bite marks, to prevent bleeding. "…Huh? She's the girl I met…" Akamaru barked again. "She was the girl I met on the street…" Red stained the cloth quickly, and Kiba used another piece of cloth. "Those bite marks…are from the same vampire…" He observed, muttering to himself. "Looks like I'll have to perform the ritual on her… How annoying… I've enough problems in my life."

Sakura closed her eyes, falling backwards onto her bed. "It's a long day…" She sighed, her hand touching her neck. _Sasuke did remove those marks… I guess this means there won't be any vampires after me anymore…This… _

_…This is a good thing, right…? _

**Author: I'm not going to rush the relationships… But they're developing!**


	10. Special Ability?

"…" Hinata opened her eyes groggily. She heard voices talking. _A boy and a girl_. The girl sounded anxious.

"Did you get him?"

"No, I didn't. Don't worry, it wasn't Gaara. It seems that there're new vampires around here…Hey, you've woken up?"

Hinata groaned and tried to get up. Kiba pushed her down. "You can't get up yet…" Temari looked at the girl. "I think we have to give her a blood-replenishing potion. She doesn't look good—The vampire must have taken lots of her blood, unlike the pink-haired girl who came in just now…I'll go and get it… And meanwhile, you perform the ritual on her."

Kiba nodded, and Temari went out of the room. Hinata looked at Kiba doubtfully, trying to figure out if he meant her harm. "U-Um…" She whispered, feeling giddy. "W-What-What seems to be the connection between you and-and vampires? Di-Did you bring me here?" "…Hmm. Yeah, I did. You were attacked by a bloodsucker and I saw you. You could call me a vampire hunter." Kiba answered. "Hold up your head, please."

Hinata obeyed, and Kiba took a packet from the table and applied the contents on her wound. Then he took out a gold, tear shaped pendant from his pocket, placed it on her neck, and started chanting. Hinata bit her lip nervously, totally baffled by his actions.

**Author: Please read chapter 8 if you don't understand what's going on. **

"…Huh?" Kiba looked at the gem in disbelief. "It's supposed to turn black... Why is it still red?" Hinata's heart skipped a beat. _I…I don't know what's going on, but… but it doesn't seem to be good news. _

"What's wrong?" Temari asked, coming into the room with the potion. She was holding a tray with a bowl, and the liquid in it appeared to be brownish-red. "The gem. The ritual wasn't successful." Kiba muttered. _…Not successful? _Hinata froze, suddenly feeling cold. The way he spoke his sentence frightened her. _I-Is something going to happen to me? _

"That's strange…Anyway, drink up first, Hinata." Temari passed the bowl to her, taking the jewel from Kiba's hands. Hinata peered at the bowl wearily. _I have no choice but to trust them…_Her hands lifted up the bowl and the liquid went down her throat. It tasted salty and bitter, nearly making her gag, but she persisted and soon the bowl was empty. "Good. Just lay down for a moment…Kiba, you stay with her." Temari ordered, going out of the room. "I'll be back in a minute after looking at this."

"What? Wait!" Kiba yelped, his face turning red, but the blonde girl was already out of the room. He sighed and turned back to Hinata. "W-What's going to happen to me…?" She asked, looking at him worriedly. "And why-why are you people helping me? Y-You don't know me at all…"

"Umm… I told you before, we're vampire hunters. Our mission is to seek out vampires and basically get rid of them. We also help victims." _Though I don't feel like doing any of this right now… Just my luck. _Hinata looked as though she understood. "S-So… A-Am I okay now?" She asked. Kiba smiled forcibly. "Sure, you're going to be fine." _Not. Once you encounter a vampire, you'll be haunted by vampires for the rest of your life…Perhaps not physically, but definitely mentally. And you've encountered it twice. _He looked at her face carefully for the first time. She was pale, but a twinge of healthy red was coming back to her cheeks. Her eyes were confused and cloudy.

_Wait a minute…_"Hey, can I see your wound again?" Kiba requested casually. Hinata grabbed the bed sheets tightly, and nodded. _Those bite marks…Are deep…Gosh, they could take **months** to heal…Plus the ritual couldn't get rid of the stupid anti-healing substance…Could the vampire…be? _

"Kiba, come out here." Temari's dull voice was all the answer Kiba needed.

"A special-ability. That vampire is a special-ability kind." Temari muttered glumly, thinking of Gaara. Kiba didn't say anything. He just stared at the ground.

**Fear **

**Sorrow **

**Anger **

**Hate **

**Loneliness **

**All those negative feelings **

**Are they the cause of **

**"Bad things" people do? **

TAP.

"…!"

"…Gaara?" Naruto turned, startled. Gaara walked slowly, his eyes fixed on the blonde. "…The girl…" He said in a low, throaty voice. "…Who's the girl?"

_Did he… hear our conversation just now? _Naruto opened his mouth and closed it. _Why didn't I smell him? _

A pale hand suddenly shot out and grabbed Naruto's shirt. Gaara went to Naruto, his eyes closed, sniffing him.

_What the… OH CRAP! _Naruto pushed Gaara away, his eyes widening with realization and surprise. Gaara stared at him, his face expressionless.

"…What are you going to…" Naruto started, but Gaara had turned and disappeared.

**Author: …Reviews… I know this chapter is a lousy chapter…Sigh… The pressure of homework…Read on… **


	11. Suspense

Sakura yawned. "I don't want to think about it anymore… Okay… That's it." She got up from her bed, and walked to her bookshelf. "I'll read a book. I'm going to read a book… And pretended that nothing had happened. Then… Huh?"

She stopped, her jade eyes widening in shock. "…What the hell…"

**"101 facts about Vampires!" "All you need to know about vampires!" "Vampires: The supernatural creatures of the dark." "The blood-sucking creature—True or false?" **

Sakura groaned and slapped her head as she looked at the books. The list went on and on. And they were all about…

Vampires.

"ARRGH! AM I REALLY **THAT **OBSESSED?"

Sasuke turned over on his bed, his eyes closed, and a frown on his face. He'd heard what was going on outside. _Another new victim. Stupid, freaking vampires. If only they don't exist. _

Naruto stood in the dark, old room, his eyes wide. It had been minutes since Gaara had left. But he didn't move. Not an inch. _What… What had happened to all of his victims up to date?_

Nothing came out. Blank. None. _Think. Idiot. Think. _

The latest. That lady on the ground. He clenched his fists.

_All of his victims turn up…dead… _

_No! I have to go after him! I can't give her to him!  
MORON! You know very well what's going to happen! You'll get killed by him! The fact that he is an **unnatural** means he has skills that far exceeds yours! _

_I… _

Naruto closed his eyes, his whole body trembling. _I don't believe… in killing others. _

Every time he'd just watched… Just watched a victim die, and then feel guilty afterwards. _Why hadn't I stopped him? No… _His fists clenched even tighter. _I…didn't dare to. I was… _

**_Because you're too weak._ _Give it up. She's a lost cause. She's going to be dead. Move on. Forget it. _**

"…S-Sakura…" The time he'd spent with her wasn't a lot. _But why?_ A hazy image came to his mind, and Naruto gasped, holding his head. It was a person.

_Who… Who the hell is he? H-He's saying something. I can't remember…_ "I can't remember… Argh…ARRGH!"

The light brown skin fell silently into the waste bucket as Sakura peeled the potatoes. She'd decided to cook. Potato salad. That was the only thing she could think of, and she didn't want to go out.

"Right." Sakura muttered, dumping the last of the peeled potatoes into a bowl, and washed them. Then she filled a pot with water and put it on the stove. Her right hand turned on the gas switch, and blue flames clicked into life, heating up the water in the pot.

_Dinner's settled. Now what am I supposed to do? The TV. Yeah, the TV… _

Sakura walked to the living room, took the remote control and pressed the red button. "News." She thought, staring dully at the newscaster. _Click. _"It's…ART, KIDS!" _Click. _"At tonight's fashion show, we have…" _Click. _"Don't leave me, John!" _Click. _

"EEEEK!"

The girl jumped at the sound of the ear-piercing scream. _A…horror show? _Sakura took a deep breath, and looked at the screen. The main character, a boy, was looking a little sick as he edged away from the wall. He had dark hair and was quite good-looking.

_Sasuke. _She thought automatically. After that, she jumped a second time. _Wait a minute. Sasuke? Why did I think of his name? _On the screen, the boy was holding up what looked like a spear, and he was sweating all over. "W…What am I doing?" Sakura said aloud, and switched off the TV. "Geez… It's already over, Sakura! No more vampire business! No more Sasuke! That's it! Normal life!"  
She got up from the couch and went to check on the water. It was boiling. Her hands clasped the bowl, and potatoes fell gently into the pot.

"…" Everything was silent for a few minutes.

**RIIIIINNNNNGGG! **

Sakura jumped a _third _time, cursed, and went to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Sakura? It's me."

"Mom? What's wrong? You know"— She glanced at the clock. "You should be back by now."

"Yes, dear, but…"

"Don't tell me. Work again?"

Her mom was quiet for a moment. "Yes."

"Dad too?"

"Yes."

"Fine. When are you coming back, then?"

"We'll be doing the night shift. We won't be back till the next morning…"

"Okay. Bye."

"Sakura, wait"—

"Have a nice day."

"Wait--!"  
_Click. _She had hung up.

_Work, work, work. Always work. That's what matters. Work. _Sakura thought, going back to the kitchen. _Sigh… _

**Eight o'clock **

Water poured from the taps, and mixed with the soap, creating foam. _Sometimes I just wish we could eat dinner together, like what a real family does…Actually, it has been ages since we did that. _

_I wonder… If Sasuke-kun… _

**(Flashback of Sasuke's eyes)**

_His eyes…Why do I feel so disturbed about the way his eyes looked? There was… something in his eyes that I haven't seen before… _

_…In anyone else…What was that? _

Sakura dried the plates and put them in the shelf neatly. "Never mind… Homework time." She said to herself glumly, and grabbed a file from her bag.

"If x equals to this… Then what equals to… Hmm…" A light and gentle breeze blew from her window. Minutes ticked by, and before she knew it, she was already falling asleep at her desk.

**_Rustle._**

Sakura blinked groggily. _Huh? _There was a shadow…

"We're just going to let her go?" Kiba yelled at Temari. "What do you mean by that? She's going to die!"

Temari looked white, but she stood her ground. "Kiba, you know it. Once you are being hunted down by a _special ability, _you're finished. It's almost as bad as being bitten by a _special._"  
"It's NOT! It's even WORSE than being bitten by a special! When you are bitten by a special, sure, you turn into some goddamn stinking vampire, but you still _live_! But in this case, being bitten by a _special ability _means death!" Kiba yelled.

Temari turned. "We can't do anything about it."

"WE CAN! WE CAN PROTECT HER"—

"Yes, you can protect her."

The pair turned. Sasuke.

**Author: (Chants) I-need-feedback… I-need-feedback… Homework- sucks… Exams- suck… I- need –feedback…Sorry for not updating, because I've encountered problems submitting my documents. I don't know why, every time I try submitting them, there's either this time-out or error message. It's really frustrating. Anyone of you out there have this kind of document submitting problems? I hope I'm not the only one… **


	12. The Yellow Bear

**Like a withered flower **

**You lay on the ground **

**Still **

**Cold **

**Forlorn **

**Your hand reached towards my direction **

**I backed away **

**Shocked **

**How did you know I was there? **

"What…" Kiba said, his volume going down by a few decibels. Temari just blinked. She was still white, though. In other words, they were surprised. Sasuke repeated his sentence. "Yes, you can protect her. But till when?" Upon hearing that, Kiba got agitated again. "What the heck do you want to say?" He snapped impatiently.

Temari did not say a word. Sasuke continued. "You can protect her from being bitten today. You can protect her from being bitten tomorrow. But—' His eyes gleamed dangerously, " _Can you protect her forever?_"

Kiba halted, biting his bottom lip. Then he spoke softly, "So, I take it, you are just going to let her die? Is that it?" Temari closed her eyes, her face growing even paler. Sasuke's eyes gleamed even more dangerously. "Yes."

**You didn't speak a word **

**But your face said everything **

**I took a few more steps back **

**Then ran **

**And ran **

**And ran **

**I can't help… **

**I can't help you **

**Please forgive me **

"YOU FREAKING BASTARD!" Kiba yelled, lunging at Sasuke. Temari gasped.

**And so **

**That was just it **

**… You lay in the earth for all eternity**

**Probably hating me **

**For not saving you **

**I don't mind **

**It is perfectly normal **

**I understand **

**But that guilt **

**And grief **

**Will live with me forever **

Sasuke ducked Kiba's punch with ease. Temari grabbed hold of Kiba from the back. "Stop it!" She shrieked, trying to hold him down. The boy gritted his teeth. "Let me at him!" He growled. Sasuke walked to him, his hands in his pockets. "Listen, you idiot. A victim of a _special ability _is a lost case. If you want to devote your whole life to protect her from getting killed, I won't stop you."

"I-I'll just… I'll just protect her until the blood-sucking freak gives up"—

"Have you forgotten? No vampire bites his prey _twice _unless they're interested in sucking their victim dry completely. They won't stop until their prey is killed. And this girl has been bitten twice by the _same _vampire, who is also a _special ability_. Doesn't it sum it all up? You should try and reduce the vampire population rather than spend your whole life trying to protect a girl who's going to die anyway." And with that, Sasuke walked past them without any change of expression or another word.

**No, I'm not a heartless jerk **

**Just a plain, old, common… **

**_Coward. _**

When Sasuke is out of sight, Temari released Kiba quickly. They both stood there for a while. Then the blonde girl turned and walked to the door, turned the handle, and was out of the house. _Yeah, isn't what you're probably trying to say, isn't it, Temari? _But deep down, Kiba knew Temari and Sasuke were right. _They've encountered incidents where people they know just…_He swallowed. _But not me. _Kiba walked up the stairs, and entered the room. Hinata had her eyes closed, but she opened them with a start when she heard him. "…How…How was it…How did it go?" She asked softly.

_But how… But how could I just let her die like this? She's innocent. _

Kiba's forced smile came out again.

"You can go home."

**I can say a thousand sorries **

**But it won't be enough **

**It doesn't even come close **

Sakura blinked, and rubbed her eyes. "Huh?" She said groggily, and her hands reached out, grabbing the chair for support as she walked unsteadily to the window. "…A bear?" the pink-haired girl murmured. A yellow bear was sitting on the window still. She picked it up. "What's a bear doing here?" Sakura blinked again, cocking her head to one side as she looked at the bear. "Hello, mister yellow bear." She grinned, her hands moving the bear's paws. "What do you want from me?"

A pale hand that had fingers that were curled up, almost claw-like, stopped in the mid-air.

Sakura threw the bear up gently and caught it. "Well, you're staying with me, until I find your real owner." She put the bear on her bed and leaned out. _Who put the bear there?_ Her head turned towards the clock at the wall. _10pm? _She turned towards the bear again. _Who would put a **bear **in my window still at 10pm at night? _

The pale hand retreated.

Sakura, still blissfully unaware of the situation, had her suspicions. _Vampire? _Her mind went, automatically.

_Don't be an idiot. Probably some well-wisher. And vampires don't give out bears. Have you gone nuts or something? Just lock the windows and doors and **sleep.** _

She closed the window, turned the lock, put the bear on the dresser, and covered herself with her blankets.

Temari ran, her blonde hair flying, and a stake in hand. _No vampires in sight so far…_

She turned right, then turned left.

"…!"

The girl stopped. _What's this feeling? _Then her eyes widened, and she clutched her stake tighter. _…Gaara? _

The red-haired boy stood on the rooftop, his hands clutched tightly. The full moon appeared from behind the clouds, and Gaara was suddenly bathed in pale-yellowish light.

_Why can't I…_He stared at his hands.

**_"Here's your present!" A small hand stuffed a yellow bear in Gaara's hands. _**

**_Gaara blinked, looking at the bear. "…This is… for me?" He whispered. The girl smiled. "Of course." _**

**_"But…But no one had ever given me a present before… And besides," He lowered his volume, "I thought father had said that"— _**

**_The same small hand clasped over his mouth. "Ssh. Do you want it or not?" _**

**_Gaara's blinked, and nodded furiously. The girl beamed. _**

"…Temari…?" He whispered. "Temari… Where did that name come from?"

**Author: Yes, this chapter may be confusing to some, so please read on:) **


	13. The Past III

**Five years ago **

"1…"

Temari hid behind a wall, giggling a little as Gaara counted.

"...2…" Gaara had his hands over his eyes. He stood facing the wall, his back to Temari.

"…3! Ready or not, here I come!" Then there was the sound of footsteps. The blonde girl scampered to a dark corner, her face filled with sweat.

No, they were not playing hide and seek. It was actually vampire- hunting training. But it was a little similar to the famous game we all know. Well, the training was created based on the game idea, anyway.

Jade-green eyes blinked, and the sound of footsteps seemed to go cautiously to the right. "Come out, wherever you are!" Gaara said, but the way he spoke the sentence made it seem to be more like part of a song. Temari crouched in the corner. The training was really simple—If Gaara could find her, she will fail the hiding test. But if Gaara couldn't find her, and gave up, it means that she passed, and then a vampire-busting job will be in wait for Temari.

The feat wasn't easy though. She'd failed many times. Though Gaara wasn't a certified hunter yet, his sense of detection was excellent. Far better than the other hunters. Even their parents.

_What makes a good vampire hunter: _

_1) __Attack fiercely. Have no mercy. _

_2) __Have no fear of death. _

_3) __Most importantly… _

Temari's recollection of the so-called **rules **her father drilled her over and over was cut short by fast footsteps coming her way. _Uh-Oh. Don't tell me I'm going to fail **again? **_She grabbed her weapon and leapt silently onto the rooftop. Sure enough, it was Gaara, coming into the corner where she was moments ago. The boy blinked and turned. _Phew. He didn't notice… _"You're up there…" Gaara looked up suddenly and pointed to his sister.

**_One, two, three… _**

**You counted slowly **

**I hid behind a dark, leafy bush **

**Shivering **

**Shaking **

**White **

**With fear **

**I knew **

**After you'd finished counting… **

**…….. **

**You'll hunt me down! **

**But what can I do? **

**Hiding is already taking up all of my efforts! **

**No, I can't, I have to run **

**I don't want to get killed! **

**Now, I see you looming closer **

**But I can't move **

**My feet couldn't **

"Failed again, huh?" A boy with a painted face of white and purple smirked at Temari. The girl cracked her knuckles. "Shut it, Kankuro." She flexed her shoulders and flopped onto the sofa. "I…just got distracted. I **will **pass the next time." Temari said glumly. Kankuro dusted powder from his hands. "That's easy to say. You've failed so far." He muttered.

Behind the door, a figure walked slowly away.

**Midnight **

"So, the usual. Disperse!" A man with the same flaming red hair as Gaara's held up a hand, and the team around him vanished immediately.

"And why are you still up at this hour, Temari? Go to sleep."

Temari walked out slowly from behind the wall. "I-I-…" She spluttered. "I-I just want to apologize for my failure today. I…I will train hard." The man blinked, and walked over to an old armchair. There was a long pause. Then came the same, old, predictable answer Temari had heard over the years.

"Alright. Good."

The blonde girl looked down, feeling angry at herself. "I'll go to sleep now." She said shortly, and went off.

_I know it. He's disappointed in me. _Temari clenched her fist. _No, in fact, he's lost all hope for me to become a hunter, because I probably won't ever beat Gaara. Damn! _She punched the wall. Her fist turned red, but she didn't wince at the pain. _Damn… Why… Why am I so weak? I want to serve my family, and uphold the family reputation! Our family is the second-best, just next to the Uchihas! _Temari withdrew her fist from the wall, walked to her room, and slammed the door.

A few seconds later, the same, small mysterious figure crept slowly to Temari's door. "…Sister…" He whispered, his eyes downcast.

**The next day **

A tired-looking Kankuro groaned and rubbed his shoulders. "Bad night?" Temari asked sarcastically.

The boy didn't bother to argue. He knew it was a sensitive topic to his sister. His **big **sister, who would start railing at him the moment he complains about his missions.

_"How dare you! You should be honored that you're working for the family!" **Yeah, Yeah, I know. **_Kankuro yawned widely and grabbed a piece of buttered toast from the table. "I'm going to wash up and go to bed..."

Temari watched as he went up the stairs, and stirred the contents in her bowl.

**Author: One word: FEEDBACK! **


	14. The Past IV

**Author: Firstly, I'd like to say that some parts of this chapter are not created by me, but created by the author of Vampire Knight, and I give the credit to her. Secondly, I'm fallen ill (coughs) and so, this lousy chapter. Still, enjoy. (coughs and goes to take medication) **

**One week later **

"Father!" Temari gasped as the red-haired man collapsed on the floor.

It was 1am in the morning. Everyone was out vampire-hunting. But her father had suddenly flung the door open, and fell onto the floor, his clothes and face stained with blood.

**_What is going on? _**She turned her father over, hastily looking for wounds. There was none… except for a particular mark on his neck.

"Y-You've been bitten by a vampire!"

_Whoosh. _

Temari turned abruptly. **_Something is here. _**She whipped out a huge fan from her back. Her weapon of choice. **_A vampire. _**Her heart was beating hard. **_Shit. I need to calm down. _**Temari glanced at her father. **_I'll have to treat him as soon as possible, or else he'll… _**

"Who!" She turned again. A movement had caught her eye, but the form vanished as soon as she turned. "Quit playing hide-and-seek!" Temari snapped, thumping her fan on the ground, which cracked when she did so.

**_Damn. Then I'll just… _**

She closed her eyes, and the grip on her fan tightened. In a split second, her fan opened and there was a huge gust of wind.

The whole house shook violently, and light bulbs cracked. Temari took out a few strips of yellowed paper, and bit her thumb. Blood flowed out of her thumb instantly, and the girl quickly wrote on it.

"Blood… There is blood!"

The figure rushed towards her, and Temari could feel it. **_They're… such suckers for blood. _**She raised up her fan, and brought it down. Another gust of abnormally strong wind blew.

"Watch out!" A familiar voice screamed, and Temari took in a sharp intake of breath. Her eyes could make out a shadow coming towards her from behind, its arms outstretched—

There was a sickening _crunch. _Temari had her hands on her head, her eyes closed, and her knees on the floor.

There was a yell, and she could hear the spurting of blood. Some of it landed on her face. She could feel it—warm and wet. The blonde girl opened her eyes slowly— and almost fainted.

It was Gaara, her little brother, his hands clutched on his neck, his eyes blank. There was a steady _drip drip _of the blood that fell onto the floor. The vampire appeared to be wiping his mouth. Temari didn't move. She was too shocked to do anything.

"Your clan murdered my beloved people. And here's my revenge." He smiled, revealing his fangs-- sharp, shiny, and stained with blood. "No matter how powerful your clan is…"

"… You can't defeat a _special _like me!"

With that, he leapt away.

Gaara yelled again, and started trembling on the floor.

Temari rushed to his side. Her mind was trying to register what she saw. **_A special… A special… What are the effects? Wait… Wait! _**

She blinked. **_They… The victims either turn into vampires or die… _**

"Gaara!" She screamed, tears leaking out from her eyes. **_What can I do? What can I do? WHAT CAN I DO! _**

Her heart was beating so hard, she thought it would break from the pressure. **_The seal… I have to perform the "slow" seal on him to slow down the effects…That's the only thing I can do… But… _**

Gaara yelled another time, interrupting her thoughts.

"It hurts! I'm burning! Sister, help me!"

All Temari saw were the bloodshot eyes, the tears, and dried blood. She edged away, her hands covering her ears, her own eyes forming tears.

"TEMARI!" Gaara screamed.

**Why can't I move? **

**I know very well that someone important to me **

**Is in grave danger **

**And yet— **

"NO!" Temari yelled. "Stay away from me! Stay away!"

**I refuse to help. **

**Because of my own cowardliness **

**I refuse to lend a hand **

**…Paralyzed **

**Blinded**

**Stunned **

**By fear itself **

**That is the reason **

**I let you die **

_Thump. _

Temari blinked, her back crouched. It was her father, still lying on the ground, unconscious.

_Father? _Then she stopped trembling, and slowly removed her hands from her ears. The sight of her father had given her a wake-up call. **_What the hell am I doing? I'm a vampire—hunter! _**

Temari closed her eyes, and grabbed her fan. **_I am not skilled enough to do the "slow" seal yet. _**She frowned. **_What else can I do? What can I DO? _**

_Rule 1) Attack fiercely. Have no mercy. _

_Rule 2) Have no fear of death. _

_Rule 3) Most importantly… _

**_Most importantly… Most importantly WHAT? THINK! _**

"ARRGH!" Gaara was still yelling. Smoke was beginning to come out of his neck wound in whips. Temari refused to open her eyes.

**_Most importantly… Trust no one. Even if your own relative turns into a vampire, stake it. Have no feelings, no emotions, no tears. _**

Temari's eyes flew open. Her hands gripped her fan tight. **_I have to stake Gaara. _**

**_I have to stake Gaara. _**

Her right hand reached for a stake in her pocket, and her fingers gripped it hard. She removed the cover. The sharp blade glinted in the moonlight, all ready and prepared for kill. **_I… I have to stake Gaara. _**The sentence kept repeating itself over and over in her head.

**_I…hurt… Where… Where is sister… Temari… _**

Gaara winced, his body still shaking violently. "Sis…ter?" Then his eyes widened when he saw a figure slowly approaching him. It was Temari, her face pale and a little bloodstained, her hands holding some sort of sharp material... and crying. Her hands could grip the material surprisingly well in spite of her trembling.

He was starting to slip, in and out of focus. **_What is she holding… Is she going to treat me? _**The moonlight shone on Temari's stake, and Gaara had a full view.

**_A STAKE? _**

Temari plunged the stake down with force, but Gaara rolled away in time. After that, he jolted. Then everything started to fall into place. Gaara stood up, his hands rubbing the new-grown fangs from his gums, and growling.

**_The transformation is already complete? _**Temari gasped in shock. Her brother glared at her, his mouth open.

"You tried to kill me." A strange, un-Gaara like voice came out.

"…!" Temari couldn't speak.

"You tried to kill me. I'm your younger brother." Tears rolled down from Gaara's face. His eyes were pleading with her. Temari gripped her stake tighter, trying to force herself to look away from those eyes. "You're a vampire now, an enemy of our clan!" She yelled, running towards him, her stake raised. Gaara dodged again, and this time he understood.

"Then you shall be no sister of mine."

He cast one last glare of hurt and hatred towards her, and leapt away, his green eyes casting an eerie glow.

Temari sank to the ground, watching, her tears running down harder and faster.

**Author: Enough with the flashbacks… And the real thing will start next chapter… (Bows) **


	15. Confused

"Naruto? Naruto, what the hell are you doing?"

Naruto's head nodded down slowly, his blue eyes in a daze, his body tense. Neji scratched his own head, sighing. He closed his eyes, and then opened them.

Veins were now prominent around his sliver eyes, and Neji observed the blonde boy for a moment. Then his right hand shot out, and pushed Naruto hard on the chest.

**THUMP! **"Snap out of it, moron."

Naruto blinked, and his muscles visibly relaxed. "What…" He blinked again. Then he remembered. "Gaara! Gaara's gone after Sakura"—

Neji crossed his arms. "And so what if he did? The girl's going to be dead. Give it up."

The blonde boy growled, his fangs growing out threateningly from his gums. "Shut it."

The sliver-eyed vampire turned. "Whatever. I had a _feast _today." He licked his lips. Naruto stopped, sniffing. Then he frowned. "You bit that girl _again_?"

Neji smiled. "So what if I did? I plan to suck her dry. Now, if you don't mind…" He stretched and walked up the staircase.

**_What happened to that idiot? He was in a daze… _**Neji bit his bandages, unwinding it. **_And that aura he emitted… _**

**The next day **

"Good morning, Sakura!" Ino waved. Sakura nodded sleepily, walking to her seat.

"Good morning." A soft voice sounded from behind Sakura, making her turn.

"G-Good morning…" She blushed. Naruto nodded, smiling a little. "Glad to see that you are okay…" He walked away, his hands tucked in his pockets.

**_What's up with Naruto...? _**Sakura shrugged and sat down. Then she stopped. **_I sense…killer instinct… _**

A huge group of girls were staring at the pink-haired girl jealously. Sakura gulped, and quickly turned in another direction, where Ino was observing her from head to toe.

"W-What?" Sakura stammered, taking out books from her bag.

"Why are the good-looking guys attracted to you, I'll never know." Ino muttered.

There was the shrieking of fan girls when Sasuke came in, as usual. The pale boy glanced at Sakura for a moment, and then his eyes traveled over to Naruto.

**_He looks listless… He hasn't been feeding?_**

**Physical education **

"Ahem." The teacher, a tall and bulky man, adjusted his spectacles. "You must have heard of the approaching _grand _fair?" The class made sounds of approval, and there were several excited shrieks from some girls.

They were gathered in the air-conditioned dance studio. The grand fair was held annually by the school, an event where people dress up in ancient English costumes, relax and just have fun. The whole school will be decorated according to that theme. The fair served no educational purpose, but there were rumors circulating that the principal was a huge fan of ballroom dancing. Pupils were allowed to invite other students to attend the event. But the rule was that, they **have **to dress up in ancient English costumes. Sakura wasn't really looking forward to it. She wouldn't be able to find a partner anyway. **_But I guess the decorations and stuff will be good. _**

"Since you're all freshmen and your first time attending this fair"—The teacher looked pretty peeved behind his glasses—apparently he thought that the event was unnecessary and ridiculous. "You will be learning how to dance. This period is for you to learn. And"—He gritted his teeth—"**I—WON'T—BE TEACHING—YOU. **You people take a look at the video here, and learn by yourselves."

A rough hand shoved a tape into the player, and the screen came alive.

Everyone started shoving, finding for a partner (Mainly the girls, who were trying to reach for Sasuke and some, Naruto) and Sakura felt herself being pulled away.

_Huh? _

She turned. It was Sasuke, and he looked annoyed. "Listen, Sakura." He started, but his eyes were looking away from her.

Sakura blinked. _What? _

Sasuke's grip on her arm tightened. Then there was a scream, then another one.

_HUH? _

Both of them turned around. A group of people were surrounding them, _mostly_ girls, and they were starting to steam. Including Ino. _Oh Crap. _

"Sakura?"

Someone emerged from the crowd. Blue eyed, blonde. The new student.

Naruto.

Sasuke's grip on Sakura's arm tightened even further. Jade eyes blinked in astonishment as Naruto grabbed hold of Sakura's other arm, and smiled in a very gentlemanly way.

"May I be your partner?"

**SILENCE **

"WHAT!" Voices screamed.

Sakura looked at the angry faces around her, then at her hands. Sasuke and Naruto hadn't let go. In fact, they were staring at one another, and she suddenly felt an aura of enmity as they stared on.

**To the right **

**To the left **

**To the back **

**To the bottom **

**The possibilities were endless **

**I blinked **

**And stopped **

**In the middle **

**Stuck **

**And everywhere else was dark **

**I groped blindly **

**It wasn't that I couldn't see, though **

**It was because **

**I couldn't decide **

**And make up my mind **

**I closed my eyes **

**And fell onto the floor **

**I'll just lay here on the spot, then **

**And wait… **

_I have to do something. _Sakura thought furiously. _Anything._

"You're hurting me." She spoke, and both boys snapped back to reality. They released her instantly, but onyx still interlocked with the blue.

"CAN YOU PEOPLE GET STARTED ALREADY!" The teacher boomed.

**After school, 6pm **

(No one was in class.)

Sakura sighed and laid her head on the desk. In the end, she'd excused herself and went to the toilet.

_I wonder what Sasuke wanted to ask. And… wait… Naruto asked me for… _

She blushed. _Well…Was Sasuke going to ask me the same…Nah. It's too good to be true. _Her hand instantly went to the spot where the vampire bites _were._ **_Every time… _**She bit her lip. The vampire incident still frightened her to some extent.

She closed her eyes and at the same moment, felt a cold hand on her shoulder…

"Sasuke?" She gasped at the sight of the vampire hunter. "I thought you'd left."

"I didn't." He grabbed her arm again, pulling her up forcibly.

"Ow!" Sakura winced.

Sasuke didn't appear to care. "Are you going to agree to Naruto's proposal?" He asked bluntly.

"I-I"—Sakura spluttered. _Sasuke's actually asking me **this? **_"Why are you asking me this, anyway?" She said, without thinking.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Let me tell you what. I suspect that he may be the vampire that bit you."

Sakura stopped.

**Flashback **

_"…I really enjoyed it." Naruto whispered in her ear, then went and sat down on an empty chair. _

"I-I…" The girl stammered, then took a deep breath. What came out of her mouth was-- "You don't have proof, do you?" **_What the hell? Why am I defending that guy? _**Her face turned red again.

The hunter looked somewhat startled by her response, and then anger took over his facial features.

"What _do you mean by that_?"

Sakura couldn't help herself. Something was controlling her, and she didn't know why, or how. She wasn't acting herself. Sasuke's tone was offending her. She knew that it was part of his nature, yet…

"Whatever." She took her bag, and slung it at Sasuke's face, who ducked. It then landed neatly on her shoulder. "I'm off." Sakura started to walk, but a familiar grip clung onto her hand again…

"Let go." She used her other free hand to push Sasuke's hand away. "I'm going home. I want out. Leave me out of all this. I don't care if Naruto is the vampire. I don't care if he bit me before, or he's going to bite me again. I want _out_. Whether I die or not is none of your business."

"**What?" **The boy blinked, his eyes shocked. Sakura had learnt to look at his eyes. His eyes seemed to tell what he _was really_ feeling within him. Something hard and sharp seemed to tear at her heart, but she continued. She _had _to. _I just don't want any of this happening anymore. I'm confused, and I don't want Sasuke to waste his time on me. I don't want… _

"Yes, it's none of your business. Goodbye."

With that, she walked quickly to the door, opened it, walked through it and closed it.

**Author: Same old words—please read the next chapter, and review! No, Sakura's not bad… Um… (Sweatdrops) AHH! Just read on! I don't even know what I'm writing! I'm still sorta ill even though I am already fit enough to go to school... Urrgh-- (Faints) **


	16. The same

**The feelings that everyone gives out **

**Are different**

**Envy. Attraction. Happiness. Anger.**

**But what's that I detect? **

**Something is out of place **

**I turned **

**Other than me, **

**Who else is giving out-- **

**A sense of loneliness? **

**I was curious **

**And relieved **

**At last, someone is feeling how I feel **

**I reached out my hand **

Sakura raced down the streets, her hands furiously wiping the tears from her eyes. _What did I do? _

Then she stopped, panting and crying, in front of a shop.

"Sasuke… kun…"

Sakura closed her eyes hard, her teeth gritted, recalling what Sasuke did for her. He had saved her life. And what did she do? Snap at him. Yes, she _snapped _at him.

The girl adjusted the bag on her shoulders, and started to run again. **_I…I've troubled him…Sure… he's a vampire hunter, and he wanted to go after that vampire that had bitten me…Yes… But... _**

**_...What exactly am I pissed off about anyway? Why am I feeling so… _**

"GASP!"

The odd, ugly, grayish stone on the pavement had made her foot slip. Her body lost its balance, and she topped down like a stack of cards. Dust and dirt flew everywhere, and there was the sound of ---"OW!"

Blood, dark and red, was flowing from Sakura's knee. She blinked back tears that were forming-- This time, because of the pain from her knee, and also in her heart. "Sasuke… I'm sorry…" She choked.

**My hand reached towards you **

**I smiled. **

**You didn't return my smile, though **

**Cold, hard eyes glared **

**And slapped my hand away **

**I recoiled, hurt **

Sasuke closed his eyes. _What is this?_A pale hand clutched at his chest tightly, and his shirt became crumpled in the process.

He'd watched Sakura go, and then a strange feeling emerged in him. His chest hurt, dammit. It hurt like hell.

The weirdest thing was, the hurt wasn't that kind of _physical _hurt he'd endured. Physical stuff, he'd tried a lot, after being a vampire hunter all these years. Vampires are not exactly gentle creatures, after all. The hurt he felt can be considered… _mental? _

He was going crazy. He, Sasuke. A hunter. He felt _hurt _by a girl. A naïve girl who doesn't even know anything.

Sasuke shook his head furiously, his eyes still shut tight. _Snap out of it… _

Then suddenly his eyes opened up, and widened. _I smell blood… _He sniffed. _Sakura's blood?_ The pale boy turned just in time to see a shadow leaping from the rooftop, and speeding towards the direction of the blood scent.

_DAMN! _

Akamaru barked, and Kiba nodded. "Still no vampire in sight, huh?"

They were patrolling a certain housing estate. It is to anyone's guess as to whose residence they were patrolling…

Kiba stopped, and so did Akamaru. "Let's take a rest there…" He pointed at a nearby bench, and Akamaru followed him as he sat down the on the wooden bench. It was silent for a while. Then Akamaru barked softly and crawled up to Kiba's lap.The dog made a cetain whimpering sound that only Kiba could understand.

"Ha… Nothing ever escapes you, huh?" Kiba said good-naturedly, patting his dog on the head. Akamaru responded by leaning on Kiba's stomach. "You know… Akamaru… I wonder what I'm really doing. I mean, even though the words that **they **had said made sense… But to me…" He paused. Akamaru made an "Arrrf" sound, signaling its master to continue. Kiba sighed and did.

"…But … It's a life, Akamaru…" He continued sadly.

The dog perked up immediately upon hearing Kiba's sad tone, and gave him a reassuring lick on the cheek.

**_Akamaru… _**

"I'm a vampire hunter!" He said loudly, grabbing his dog. Akamaru barked, and they set off again.

Sakura brushed the dirt off her clothes, and got up slowly. She held the wall near her for support. The blood trickled down her leg, and she wiped it before it stained her socks. "Ow…" She muttered again. "This hurts." A dirty hand reached inside the pockets, and grabbed a handkerchief. "Here goes…This will have to do for a while then…" She tied her handkerchief tightly around her wound.

Something warm grabbed Sakura's shoulder, startling her.

"You fell…?" Naruto cocked his head, his blue eyes shining, his face concerned.

"…I…" She was tongue-tied. It was already sunset, and the orange light was clearly reflected in Naruto's eyes. It was also present in Sakura's green ones.

"You… cried." He held up a hand and wiped off the tears on her face. Sakura blinked.

His act was causing something to swell up from within her… And…

Salty tears leaked out once again…

"Uh-Sakura!" Naruto gasped, thrown aback. "D-Don't cry!"

Sakura sobbed, her hands covering her face. "I-I'm sorry!" She spluttered, her head bent down, and trembling.

"You don't have to apologize… You didn't do anything." The blonde said, trying to calm her down. He looked at the stained handkerchief on her leg. Blood. He swallowed hard, feeling the usual pain in his gums. "No." He muttered softly to himself. "Don't."

The sun settled, and the sky became dark. Naruto released his hand on Sakura's shoulders. The pink-haired girl was still crying, and she turned away. "S-Sakura"— The blue eyed blonde started awkwardly. **_Why is she crying? Why is she upset? I want to ask, but…-- huh? _**He looked up, and sniffed. Then his body turned stiff, and growling would have come from his throat if he hadn't stopped himself in time. **_This smell. The sissy hunter and… _**

Sasuke stood on the strong branches of the tree, his arms crossed. _Bastard vampire. _"What is your purpose? Speak." He said in a low tone. The figure, a few meters in front of him, turned around. His green eyes bored into Sasuke's. **_…What! _**Another feeling swelled up in the pale boy. But he knew what it was.

Gaara licked his lips, looking at the hunter from head to toe. Then he smiled. "… A hunter. You are a hunter." He said, throwing his arms open.

"So?" Sasuke's hand clutched the stake in his pocket. **_His smile is… _**

Gaara's smile disappeared, and a certain emotion Sasuke was very familiar with replaced the emotionless glint in his eyes. It was hate. Pure, cold, yet burning hate.

The vampire hunter whipped the stake out from his pocket. "You die." He said, running towards him. Gaara dodged the stake, and glided to another branch. Sasuke glared, and ran again, yelling as he trusted the stake at Gaara's heart.

For a split second, the vampire recalled that certain scene…

**_"YOU'RE A VAMPIRE HUNTER, AN ENEMY OF OUR CLAN!" _**

Then he saw Sasuke rushing towards him, in a yell, in that very same yell…

The hatred and fury burned, but another emotion had been added. It was fear. It was fear, and sadness. **_Sister's going to kill me. Temari… _**Gaara's hand reached out and grabbed the stake.

Blood spurted out from his hand, and some of it landed on Sasuke's face.The hunter blinked in shock, and then he forcibly removed the stake from Gaara's grip, causing even more blood to spurt out. Gaara looked at the wound in his hand, opened his mouth, and started to lick it.

"…" Sasuke's eyes narrowed in disgust. He shook the stake, and poured a special white powder on the blade. Then the boy took a step forward, and stabbed again. Gaara simply ducked, but at that instance, he whispered in the boy's face, with yet another smile of his…

"You're just like me, aren't you… I do wonder when you're joining us soon."

**Author: Has anyone seen the latest chapter of Naruto? Sasuke's going to come out soon :)**


	17. Starting

_"You're just like me, aren't you… I do wonder when you're joining us soon." _

For a moment, for just a moment, Sasuke remembered the most terrible scene he had ever witnessed in his life…

**_(Snapshots) _**

**_Blood. Itachi. Fangs. _**

Cold sweat ran down his face, and he dropped his stake. Gaara smirked, licking his lips once again. Sasuke dropped to his knees, his hand automatically moving towards his neck…

**_(Snapshots) _**

**_"Did you see your parents down there? They are dead." _**

**_More blood. _**

**_"…Enjoy immortal life, brother…" _**

The boy gasped, jolted, and his eyes widened. Gaara looked at the hunter with disdain, his green eyes narrowed. _He'd actually made it this far…_He thought silently, and leapt away. It was a rare act of compassion—for Gaara killed every enemy he encountered.

Naruto sensed the enemy coming closer. A certain sound was pounding in his ears, and it just wasn't Sakura's sobs.

**You will not have her blood. She is mine. **

He gasped, as pain pierced through his gums again, this time deeper and sharper. "No. Don't." He repeated the sentence to himself. White, gleaming fangs were starting to grow. The smell of blood was starting to overpower him. _Shit. I have to get out of here before I bite her. _

**_But what about Gaara? _**

_Damn, damn, damn! _

At that moment, Sakura turned. "I'm sorry. I-I have to go home…" She choked, still unaware, and started to walk. Naruto stopped, his hands clutching his head. That smell of Gaara's was coming closer.

**YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER BLOOD! **

Something seemed to take over his mind, and a hand shot out.

"W-What"—

Naruto turned Sakura around, and at once his blazing blue eyes bore into her jade ones. There was a pause. Then the life in her eyes vanished, turned dull, and she collapsed.

**Patches of grey, black and white crowded my mind **

**I moaned **

**Stopped **

**And then turned **

**Where am I? **

**What am I doing? **

**Why is this happening? **

**I'm confused… **

**I'm confused! **

Gaara landed quietly on the spot where Naruto and Sakura were a few minutes ago. He glared at the surroundings. "…They took off." He murmured, clenching and unclenching his fists. The vampire closed his eyes as a sudden night breeze took his red hair and tossed it gently.

-

"Hey Temari… How's it going?"

"Huh?" Dark green eyes looked up, startled, from brown, musty, old books.

A guy with lazy looking eyes and a pineapple-like ponytail stood at the door, grinning slightly. Temari found herself turning a little – _just a little _red in the face. Then she diverted her attention to her books again, and scanned the pages furiously. "What are you doing here?"

She hoped her voice sounded annoyed. The boy groaned and rubbed his head. "Nothing. I came here for no reason… I'm bored, that's all…" He yawned, and walked up to Temari. "Still looking through books, huh?"

"Shut it, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru yawned again, walked to a couch, and plopped himself on it. "Are you going to vampire-hunt today?" He asked.

"No." The blonde girl turned around, fixing him with a look of annoyance—_genuine _annoyance. "I should be the one asking that question. Are _you _going to ever vampire hunt in your life? You're supposed to be a hunter, and you keep slacking off."

"I do my duties, you know…I'm just giving others a chance to do the job for once." Shikamaru responded lazily. Then he looked around. "Where are Kiba and Sasuke?" He inquired.

"Kiba's out vampire hunting, and Sasuke's still at school. I don't know why he's so late today…" A frown went over Temari's face.

-

Sasuke looked up, panting. The mark that Itachi gave him was burning like crazy. _Don't tell me that the vampire I just encountered was also a human-turned-vampire… _

"AH DAMN!" He yelled angrily. The pain had taken him so much that he couldn't even move an inch. The only thing he could do was to crouch down, stay still, and wait for the pain to be over.

_"Sasuke, if that mark hurts, try and control your emotions. I know it's hard, but you have to." The masked man smiled at the pale boy. _

_Sasuke frowned. "And what if I don't?" _

_"If not…The vampire-becoming process will speed up. Probably by the night of the next full moon, you've become a vampire yourself." The man said, his tone light. _

**_Calm down. Calm down. _**

**How the hell am I supposed to calm down! That vampire is going to get Sakura! **

**_Who cares? _**

**…What? **

Sasuke closed his eyes, as his thoughts battled one another.

**_Why do you care so much anyway? _**

**Are you crazy? I'm a hunter. **

**_Yeah, you're pretty worried about Sakura, aren't you… _**

At that, Sasuke felt an even more intense pain in his neck. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" He shouted in frustration.

**Author: Yes, new characters are coming up…**


	18. Oops

**You came to me **

**You embrace me **

**You smiled at me **

**You patted my head **

**I closed my eyes **

**I could feel it **

**Your affection is overwhelming **

**Your affection for _me._ **

**In this world **

**All we knew **

**Was the love we had for one another **

**And that was all **

**There weren't any troubles, problems, or regrets **

**We lived—and led **

**A very happy life **

**A life that anyone would desire **

**But everything will—and came **

**With a price. **

Naruto leapt from tree to tree, his eyes easily making out the buildings, the trees, and every other obstacle that crossed his path.

Sakura was warm in his hands. Blonde hair was standing straight on end due to the strong wind, and at the speed the body was leaping at. His hands had become cold, and fangs were now protruding from his gums. The keen sense of smell, agility, and strength had maximized to thrice to what Naruto's body was in the daylight.

A vampire.

Naruto stopped for a moment, undoing Sakura's tied handkerchief on her leg. He was nearly bowled over by his blood thirst, but a huge amount of willpower was exerted, and his thoughts were forcibly pushed over. Still, his fangs hurt.

The blonde boy took a clean cloth from his pocket, poured a little water from a silver bottle, and cleaned the wound. He then took another piece of cloth and bandaged the wound promptly. Naruto looked at Sakura for a while. Her face was flushed because of her crying, and tear stains were also present.

Then his eyes traveled over to her neck.

The vampire swallowed hard, and sniffed the air. No smell of Gaara. **_He is not going after us? Weird… _**

-

Sasuke wobbled, his hand still clutching at the wound in his neck. The pain had lessened, but he knew that he was in no condition to fight. **_I have to get that vampire. _**The boy strained to walk on, his onyx eyes reflecting the light of the moon. It was a half moon, not yet a full one.

**_I have to call on reinforcements. _**

Sasuke winced, and continued to walk.

**_...This sucks. _**

-

Naruto leaned closer, his eyes never leaving her neck. It was too tempting…

He was an idiot. Fresh blood awaited him, and it was so close. What he needed to do was to just bite… And he hadn't fed in days…

Just as he was going to her neck, Sakura's eyes slowly opened.

**_Huh? _**

**_AH! AH CRAP! I can't let her know— _**

Naruto, instead of putting his mouth at her neck, quickly changed his direction. It was too late to withdraw.

**_What? _**Sakura blinked, the image in front of her, hazy.

"Hmmph…?"

-

"Sasuke? What…" Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock as he looked at the panting, wincing, and scowling boy. Sasuke glared at Shikamaru, his hand still clasped over the mark on his neck. "Get Temari and Kiba." He snapped.

Shikamaru turned to yell, but Temari had already come out, a concerned look on her face. The look deepened when she looked at Sasuke. **_Shit… the "time" is coming closer and I still haven't found the cure yet… _**

"We have to go and get someone. Now." Sasuke said, his face turning away. Apparently he was embarrassed to ask.

Temari crossed her arms, refusing to budge. "Oh really? I thought that you could handle _everything _yourself, Sasuke."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. _That Temari. Is she asking for a fight or something? _

The pain in Sasauke's neck was subsiding, but it was annoying him. And that annoyance increased even more when he had to ask for reinforcements. Plus Temari's tone of speaking isn't helping matters.

Sasuke yelled.

"CAN YOU USE YOUR BRAINS AND SEE THE SUITATION HERE?"

-

It was only for a split second when Naruto and Sakura started to scream at the same time.

"YOU PERVERT!"

"WHAT THE HELL?"

The pair pushed each other away, and both rubbed their lips furiously.

Even though Naruto was in vampire mode, that didn't stop him from blushing like what Sakura was.

"W-Why did you… Why did you k-k-kiss me! AHH!" Sakura covered her face, out of dismay rather than embarrassment.

"I-It wasn't on purpose!" Naruto protested. **_Yeah, if your blood wasn't so tempting in the first place— _**He added silently.

"PERVERT!" Sakura yelled, pointing at the boy. "You took advantage of me while I was unconsci—wait."

She frowned. There was something wrong here. How did she fall unconscious, anyway? It couldn't have been loss of blood. Her knee injury wasn't that serious…

Her thoughts, however, were cut short by Naruto's protests.

Extremely loud protests.

"I AM NOT A PERVERT!" Naruto shouted, his eyes closed, his body stiff, and shaking his head. "It was an accident."

"HA! And I thought that you were a gentleman." Sakura muttered, not believing him.

Naruto blinked, stopping. "You thought I was…?" He asked, a little shocked.

**_Huh… What is this feeling? _**

**_Oops. _**But it was too late. Sakura bit her lip, her face turning redder and redder. "Y-Yeah! I didn't know that you were that sort."

Naruto sniffed, pouting. "I'm not!"

However, he was thinking about something else other than what he was saying.

**_Gaara HAS stopped chasing us. I guess we're… safe for now. _**

**Author: Sorry it took so long… I couldn't think of anything to continue, and I wrote and deleted this chapter a lot of times before I came up with the final piece.**


	19. This time

Temari threw off her white coat, her face dull. "It was Gaara." She whispered, her voice quivering.

Sasuke crossed his arms. "Yeah, it was Gaara." He snapped, not seeming to care about the obvious emotion that was emitting from her.

"You!"—Shikamaru started. "Don't you"—He stopped in the middle of his sentance, and glanced at Temari nervously.

The pale boy snarled-- he was obviously getting more and more impatient by the second. "Are you going to help me or not?"

There was no response from the blonde girl. Then she clenched her fists.

"Of course."

-

"...HUH!"

Sakura and Naruto glared at one another, and both stomped off in different directions.

_Naruto that idiot! Idiot! IDIOT! _Sakura fumed. _Why must it be HE to have taken away my… ARRGH!_

She covered her lips with her arm, blushing, and quickened her pace.

-

Naruto walked, rubbing his jaw. "Ow… I didn't get to bite… Ow…"

Then he suddenly stopped, and looked up. "Neji, I know you're up there."

A figure leapt down from the trees. "Huh… I got caught." He scratched his head, silver eyes glowing. "But she was cute though… Why did she break out of your stupor anyway? Did you release her from your hypnosis?"

Naruto stuck out his tongue playfully. "That's what _I'll _like to know. I wonder how she did it…" He frowned. "No human can do that unless the vampire who caused the stupor release their hold over them. Maybe she has a greater willpower than others… Arrgh." The blonde vampire rubbed his jaw again. "It hurts, and I feel so tired…"

"…Hah…"

Suddenly Neji held out his arm in front of Naruto, who blinked.

"What?"

"Wanna suck my blood then?" Neji asked, grinning.

**SILENCE **

Naruto made a disgusted face.

"… I'm not a pervert."

-

Shikamaru leapt, glancing at Temari worriedly every sixty seconds.

_Will she really stake her own brother?_

Temari, however, didn't seem to notice his gaze. Her eyes were focused angrily on the road.

Sasuke had other problems of his own._ Sakura. Where's Sakura?_

He sniffed the air, and turned. "There."

The trio leapt around the corner, every one of them with a stake in hand.

-

Gaara walked slowly, his green eyes fixed on the house before him.

_Rustle._

Sakura was gritting her teeth as she continued her stomping to the front door.

"Naruto that idiot!" She yelled, slamming the front door hard.

**SILENCE **

Gaara drifted from behind the bushes, his eyes narrowing.

A foot stepped forward, and a hand reached out to open one of the windows.

Sakura sighed, taking the yellow bear from her table. She fell backwards onto the bed, staring at the bear with confused jade eyes.

"Mr bear… A lot of stuff happened to me today…"

The bear stared back at her with bright, brown eyes.

"Ah…" Sakura sat up, looking at her knee. "There's… a new bandage? Where's my handkerchief?"

**_Did Naruto…?_ **

She blushed, and fell back again.

_Whoosh. _

"Huh?"

She felt a sudden wind blow into her face, and a figure coming in—

**_To kill _**

**_Or not… _**

The wind blew hard, and then vanished, as though it wasn't present before.

**_And this time…_ **

Gaara's eyes narrowed again, and the dull green in them somehow managed to capture the light from the moon, and reflect it brillantly.

Sakura bit her lip, and clutched the bear tight. **_What… What's going… on?_ **

The red-haired boy blinked once, and all the lights went off.

The only light was from the white-gold orb in the sky, still shining as brightly as ever overhead.

Sakura bit her lip harder, and crept backwards onto her bed. Everything and anything living seemed to be gone—just blink—and gone-- the moment the lights went out. It was weird thinking, but that was just what it seemed.

It was all still and silent, except for the frantic breathing of her own.

Though the boy had no made any move towards her yet, she knew.

He was a vampire.

She just knew.

_Sasuke. _

"…What?" Sakura gasped, and released her teeth on her lip, because she felt a sharp tang.

Blood was oozing out from her bite.

**_Not good._**

Though she wasn't a vampire hunter, she'd read enough books to know that the presence of fresh blood will excite a vampire even more. It was common sense.

Now she'd bitten her own lip and practically given herself to the enemy.

**_Idiot. You freaking idiot, Sakura._ **

Gaara stopped, and his calmness disappeared in almost a millisecond as he lunged at her.

"…BLOOD!"

_-_

**(Dodges knives) Author: Read the next chapter! **


	20. And it starts

The vampire pinned the girl down on the bed, opened his mouth and immediately went for her throat.

**A red rose. **

**A beautiful red rose. **

**A beautiful, sweet-smelling red rose. **

**It attracts. **

"…NO!" Sakura screamed, and pushed him away.

..._I HAVE TO GET HIM AWAY FROM MY THROAT AT ALL COSTS!_

She tried, without success, to get off the bed. _Run... Escape! HURRY! _The shrill voice in her mind screamed with a sense of urgency, alerting the girl, pressuring her.

Meanwhile, Gaara got up slowly from the floor, licking his lips.

**An unsuspecting hand reaches out to hold it. **

**It repels. **

**The victim gasps in shock. **

**Blood dripped down slowly from his fingers. **

**Thorns. **

Within seconds, Sakura was once again held and trapped by the extremely swift vampire. A strong hand grabbed the girl's frail and fragile one, and a grinning mouth revealed its fangs, which sank down into the prey's hand without hesitation.

-

Sasuke was pissed off. He was pissed off about how Sakura's face kept reappearing in his mind, he was irritated with Temari, he was angry that the opponent in the fight eariler chose to leave him in the middle of it instead of finishing him off.

And plus, he was in a weak state during that time, too. _That _made the humiliation worse.

**_Itachi. _**

_Itachi chose to kill everyone in the clan and not me?_

_Why did he let me live? _

**_WHY?_ **

Sasuke clenched his stake so hard that his whole hand shook. As an added bonus, the vampire he'd encountered was Temari's brother.

_How delightful._

Shikamaru sensed killer instinct coming from the raven-haired boy, and automatically backed away. Temari was too distracted thinking about her younger brother to notice.

"…" The boy with the pineapple- style ponytail gulped.

_… I must be the only one thinking normally around here… _

**A red rose. **

**A beautiful red rose. **

**A beautiful, sweet-smelling red rose. **

**A beautiful, sweet-smelling, _deceiving _red rose...**

-

Sakura had her eyes closed tightly, waiting for the pain that would start smearing through her wrist.

It didn't happen.

_W-what? _

She opened her eyes a little. Gaara was still clutching her hand, but he'd stopped in midair, his eyes wide.

_What's he… looking at? _Sakura strained to look in the corner of her eye to see what was catching his attention, although she should really be seizing that chance to escape.

"Sis…ter…" Gaara spluttered in disbelief.

_T-The bear? _

**Flashback: **

**_"WATCH OUT!" _**

**_Gaara pushed Temari to the ground as the vampire lunged… _**

**_CRUNCH- _**

**_"GASP!" _**

Gaara suddenly released Sakura's wrist, the green in his eyes now alight with something--an emotion that she could not recongize. In fact, it was practically alien to the girl.

_Just who is he? _

Sakura blinked, her lip still burning. The bleeding had stopped, though.

"Um." She turned quicklyand picked the bear up, her hand shaky.

_What am I doing? _

"Is this… yours?" Sakura asked warily, her mouth dry.

She made sure to keep a distance from her attacker as she talked.

The vampire stared, probably shocked by her question and actions. There was a pause.

"…"

A pale hand reached out slowly to take the bear…

"GAARA!"

_W...WHO--_

Sakura gulped as a blonde girl burst in through her half-opened window.

**BANG.**

Both Gaara and her ducked quickly as glass shattered and fell to the floor with an ear-splitting _crash_.

Temari stood beside the window, her enormous fan open.

-

"…It's going to be time soon… Huh…"

The masked man looked up at the moon with one lazy eye, and another hand scratching his head absentmindedly.

"Guess I'd better give the kid a visit…"

He took up a silver stake from the table, and threw it at a figure at the door, which let out a loud scream and dissolved into white ashes instantly.

"Sometimes I really hate this job… Aaah."

The man yawned and stretched.

"Gotta be getting to sleep…"

-

"What the--?"

Gaara's initial shock worsened, but he somehow got over it, snatched the bear from Sakura, brushed through Temari and leapt out from the window.

The boy seemed to be moving in slow motion as he made his escape. Then he jolted as a fierce grip grabbed him hard from the back, and took over.

"!"

_I can't… move? _

The red-haired boy stood rooted on the rooftop, his expression showing signs of resistance, but not his body.

"Ah… Vampires hate being restrained, huh?"

Shikamaru put his hands by his sides, and Gaara did the same, his face filled with anger and disgust.

"I see." The vampire growled. "You're from one of _those _families …"

Sasuke came running from the back of the house, glanced at Sakura, and got onto the rooftop within seconds.

"Shikamaru, back off." He said, throwing the stake at the paralyzed vampire.

"WIND!"

An abnormally strong gust of wind blew, and deflected the stake into another direction.

The sharp end stabbed harmlessly into a tree truck instead, and the wind stopped.

Sasuke stared at the scene in aghast, glared, and took out yet another stake from his pockets.

"…Let me handle this." The blonde girl said, without another look at the pale lad-- take that two pale lads. Her right palm pushed the fan tip lightly, and the huge fan snapped shut.

"…"

Ink-black eyes bore into Temari's face, studying her, and seemed to understand after a moment. Sasuke placed the stake back into his pocket.

"Fine." He responded in the same low tone Temari had used. "But you have to remember that_he's_ a vampire. And that is a _fact that cannot be changed._"

After saying that, Sasuke leapt off from the rooftop and landed on the ground safely, on all fours like a cat's.

"And by the way, that's someone's house. Why don't you go somewhere?"

Temari smiled weakly, apparently grateful for his actions, and turned her attention back to Gaara.

"Fine. Shikamaru, I'll take over for now."

What looked like lazy, bored eyes looked at up at her. "Give it your best shot." Shikamaru said, smirking, and released the spell.

Temari, in one quick motion, held up her fan and trusted it forward.

There was yet another gust of wind, and the siblings were gone.

-

Shikamaru got off from the rooftop and yawned.

"I'll go check up on them. See you."

Then he was gone.

_Crunch._

"E-Eh…Sasuke?" A timid voice said nervously.

"What is it?" Sasuke turned around, annoyed. It was Sakura who'd called him, and the pink-haired girl was looking shy. _Shy!_ That made the boy even more annoyed.

"Hm… How do I put this…?" She muttered, staring at the ground to avoid eye contact.

"We'll pay you for the window, since Temari shattered it."

"T-The vampire…"

"He didn't bite you or anything. Besides, it wasn't the same vampire as before."

"U-Uh…T-Thanks for… Thanks for… coming."

"I didn't want to. And besides, Temari was the one who saved you."

"Well, thanks for telling them to take their fight somewhere else, then…"

That did it. Sasuke frowned and turned, preparing to leave.

Sakura halted, and gasped as he started to move.

_I-I have to apologize… _

**_He's leaving, you idiot! Talk to him! NOW! _**

_NOW!_

She opened her mouth.

-

**Author: And that's how things go… (Coughs and starts reading from paper) I'm really glad that you people reviewed, and seriously, SERIOUSLY happy that you'd want to find out what happens next. This means that I'm doing… um… a good job? (I hope?) **

**When people review my stories, I take it as a way to improve and also as a confidence booster when the feedback is good. (Kneels down and bows) **

**So… THANKYOU SO MUCH!  
(Takes out shield and blocks some of the arrows that suddenly start shooting) **

**I'll try and stop the cliff hangers! But I make up the story as it goes! I don't even have an overall plot at all… (Sweatdrops) **

**… And thus the cliff hangers. Sometimes, having cliff hangers make it a good way to start the next chapter, too… **

**I'll try my best! Again, THANK YOU! **

**(Runs away with fresh arrows sticking out of her shield)**


	21. Fight

**Author: I've edited some chapters, especially the previous chapter. That's because of the excessive amount of grammar mistakes I'd made, and me not noticing it until the chapter is actually posted. So, please do read the other chapters at the back if you have the time to… **

**…Hm, anyway… Back to the story! **

"WAIT!"

Sasuke stopped.

Sakura clenched her fists nervously, and started to speak. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry about all the things I said earlier… You must be angry with me, a-and you- you cared"—

"-- Angry?" A cold voice said, cutting into her sentence. Sasuke turned to face her, his mouth twisted in an odd smile.

**walked into the street, looking **

**There was no one **

**There's always no one **

**Then again, it's not surprising **

**That's because **

**Everyone is with their _other selves_ **

**Everyone has _someone. _**

**I'm different **

**I don't **

**I'm the exception **

**Still, I keep wandering-- **

**-- Wandering, Searching, looking, trying **

**Will I find the person that is just for me? **

**Will I find the person who is my _other _self? **

**Will I find the person that belongs to me, just me alone? **

**I walked on to another street **

**And my search for that _person _will continue. **

Onyx eyes glittered with what seemed to be amusement, and a hand reached out to tap Sakura's forehead.

The girl stood frozen, her face turning a light shade of red, unsure of what to expect.

"You're really naïve, aren't you?"

"W-What? What are you talking about?" Sakura choked, instantly absorbing his sentence and processing it in her brain. _Naïve?_

Sasuke wasted no time in continuing his words. "My main concern is about vampires. If you weren't a victim in the first place, I wouldn't even care."

There was silence. Sakura didn't protest or say anything in defense, her green eyes wide.

The wind blew gently, tossing dried leaves into the air about a few centimeters. Sasuke removed his hand from her forehead, turned, and walked away.

"…"

-

**(Note: You may find this poem familiar, because I took the idea from _Chobits… "A city with no people." _…And by the way, Chobits is a really good read, if not a little perverted, but the art is good.) **

-

Two figures stood in the dark, deserted alley of a certain street. Then the first figure spoke.

"…G-Gaara."

_My brother… I finally get to see him in person… _

A huge part of Temari just wanted to break down and cry, but obviously she couldn't.

**_"Your brother isn't the same brother as he was to you, Temari. He probably wouldn't even remember your existence." _**

**_"No, he will, Kankuro. He will." _**

**_"Huh?" The boy with the painted face frowned at her. _**

**_"That's because I tried to kill him. He will remember that." _**

Gaara silently eyed the bear in his hands, and then back to Temari.

The blonde girl blinked, her instinct coming to her all of a sudden—

**_SWIPE-- _**

A huge fan fell to the floor as the vampire suddenly lunged, and Gaara stood, growling, at the spot where Temari was a few seconds ago.

_Shit. I dropped my fan. _Her father would have killed her for this.

_Good hunters never drop their weapons. _

**_I need to get my fan back, and then talk… _**

**_…Talk what?_**

She shook her head. There was no time for this.

Her brother, as expected, did not pause to create any possible sister-brother moments. He growled again, going up to the wall where Temari stood -- at amazing speed. Sand started to swirl around him.

The vampire opened his palm and clenched his fist, directing his hand at the wall.

**BOOM. **

The huge amount of sand that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere crushed onto the ancient wall, collapsing it immediately.

_How-- Where- Where-did he get the sand? T-This is an alley! _

The hunter looked at her surroundings frantically. Then she struck gold.

The alley that she'd stupidly chosen to land on was very old. Gaara had somehow managed to summon his sand—or rather soil from the cracking cement ground. Of course the ground had broken up.

And to reveal fresh soil.

_But this is about the **only** place in the town where no one would wander. _

She wouldn't allow any loss of _innocent _lives. And anyway, if there were outsiders present, they would just get in her way.

**Vampires should not be seen by humans.**

**_Ordinary_ humans except for vampire hunters themselves.**

_Shit. I'd just have to slog it out here. _

Even after all that thinking, the girl didn't really know what to do.

_Kill him? Bring him back alive? _

Temari heard another threatening growl from the monster that was Gaara, and figured that she'd think about _that_ after getting her fan back. First things first.

Gaara clenched his fist again, tucking the bear into his pockets. He glanced at the fan, which was just meters away from him. Then where was movement.

"Do you still remember me, Gaara?" The blonde girl yelled as she slowly made her way to the fan.

"I-I'm your sister, Gaara."

Gaara did not stop in shock. Nothing like that. His eyes, however, glittered with confusion. "Sister?" He muttered, moving his hand, and the other side of the ground cracked, throwing up soil, which went towards the hunter in a huge, messy, brownish wave.

Temari ducked, edging to the left.

The soil also did.

_It's following me? _

She looked up and jumped just before it crushed her to bits. Her eyes never left the position of the fan. _Okay… _

_Now what? _

-

"Sakura, is there anything wrong?" A concerned voice asked from outside the door.

Sakura buried her head in her blankets. "I'm okay, mom."

_He… wouldn't even care… _

_Just because… I was bitten, huh… _

She closed her eyes.

_I'm… just like any other vampire victim to him… _

**_Heck, no! _**

The pink-haired girl sat up right, her green eyes flying open. "Of course! Of course he's right! Now when I think about it… What the hell are you thinking, Sakura!" She trusted her fist up in the air.

"All of this is just… Just…"

"…Just my…"

She bit her bottom lip hard and closed her eyes.

_That's it. I got what I wanted. No more vampire business or whatever. _

_So why… Why am I feeling like this? I told Sasuke that, didn't I? I'd already told Sasuke that I want a clean break from all of this! Plus I was nearly bitten just now… _

"ARRGH!" Sakura screamed and threw the covers over herself. "Sleep! Just go to sleep first!"

"Sakura, are you really okay?" Her mom's voice said from behind the door.

_This is so unlike you, Sakura. Stop becoming an idiot._ The girl slapped her forehead in frustration.

Then a meek response.

"…I'm fine, mom."

-

**Author: Now that's a pretty lame way to end a chapter… (Sorry!)**


	22. Fight II

**_We laughed _**

**_We cried _**

**_We played _**

**_We shared _**

**_Be it food _**

**_Toys _**

**_Parents _**

**_Memories _**

**_We were the best of friends _**

**_We were the worst of enemies _**

**_Our weakness was shown to one another _**

**_-- Siblings. _**

"…!"

A pale fist curled itself around Temari's neck, choking her. The blonde girl gasped as the hand squeezed tighter. _A decoy. The soil was a decoy! _

Gaara grinned, his bloodshot eyes widening. His madness was being made very clear to Temari.

At first, the girl felt fear. For the first time in her life as a hunter. She'd battled and killed many vampires, but this was different.

Then her sadness sank in. _I made him out to be like this. _

**_It was all my fault. _**

**_All my fault. _**

"Why? You're not fighting for your life, hunter?" Gaara asked, taunting her. "Come on. Stake me."

Temari started to feel out of breath. She was running out of air. Fast.

**_Is this punishment? Is this punishment for my doing? _**

**_Should I just… _**

**_…Die? _**

"G-Gaara…" She choked.

The vampire lost his grin. "Who are you?" He demanded, baring his fangs. "How did you know my name?"

Temari couldn't respond. **_I—should… die--_**

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU JUST GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS?"

"!"

The siblings both stopped, noticing the intruder… Or take that two intruders.

Shikamaru stood on another rooftop not too far away, his hands positioned in a hand seal, ready to take action. Sasuke stood beside the boy, his arms crossed.

"I thought I told you to shut up."

"L-Look." Shikamaru swallowed. "I can't just _shut up _at a time like this." He whipped out a stake and proceeded to charge.

"N-No!" Temari gasped, her face turning pale, and both of her hands trying to pry Gaara's hand away. "D-Don't!"

Sasuke grabbed Shikamaru by the scruff of his collar and threw him some distance away. But the landing was still on the rooftop itself, though.

"Calm down much?" The raven-haired boy asked, his eyes piercing.

Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his back.

**_No. I shouldn't just give up. _**

**_I shouldn't die. _**

**_I won't die. _**

Temari gasped again as the grip around her neck tightened. _S-Shit. I can't breathe… I can't breathe! _

**_I-CAN'T-BREATHE! _**

She summoned every once of strength she had, and her feet went straight into her brother's stomach. There was a startled yell, then the vampire growled, his arms raised.

"VAMPIRE HUNTERS DISGUST ME!"

He did something that was unexpected.

-

**_White. _**

**_Purity. _**

**_Black. _**

**_Filthy. _**

**_Those two colors mix to give grey—a dull result of combination. _**

**_What would mixing purity and filth give? _**

**_It can't be possible, can it?_**

What happened was that two pale, strong palms pushed Temari down the roof.

"TEMARI!" Shikamaru shouted. Even Sasuke lost his annoyance, and instead fright replaced his features.

Fortunately, Temari managed to get her mind back in one piece. She landed on the floor on all fours, and grabbed her fan.

"HEAR YE!"

She threw her fan up in the air, and did a hand seal. "I am from **_the _**family, and my orders will be obeyed!"

"Wth?"

Sasuke slapped his head, sighing, and went for cover. Shikamaru did the same, his mouth open in disbelief.

"…Why is she using magic and wind? And her family's traditional spell, too?"

**_Dramatic. _**Sasuke thought, his eyebrow twitching. He hadn't bothered to answer Shikamaru's question. The guy _was _smart—something that everyone knew. He was either trying to make conversation or just act stupid.

"BARRIER! NO ONE SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER!"

That sentence threw both the boys off-guard. The spell hurled them out of the boundaries immediately.

"What the hell is Temari thinking?" Shikamaru growled, skidding to a halt some miles away from the actual scene. Temari's newly-formed barrier had done a pretty neat job of blasting them out. Sasuke stopped himself just in time before he hit a tree. And he understood perfectly. Her intentions, that is.

"Let's just watch." He snarled, wiping dirt away from his face. _That barrier just took out half of her power, and no doubt her energy. _

**_But it wasn't hate. Her attitude towards her brother wasn't hate at all. Not like me. _**

"…You wouldn't want intruders, do you, Temari?"

-

Naruto wiped the blood from his cheeks. He didn't feel good. He never _did _feel good after preying. And this time, it seemed to hurt even more. As though he'd let down someone important to him.

But who would be important to him? Who would be disappointed?

The same distorted, hazy image of a _certain man_ came to his mind again. It was the very same image that'd occurred to him a few days ago…

_..Gaara had wanted to prey on Sakura, and I couldn't do anything… _

_…What happened next? Ow… _

**_"There's nothing wrong with you. There's nothing wrong with you at all." _**

**_Tanned skin, a scar across his face, a gentle smile, a black ponytail. _**

_A man. Who was that man? _

Naruto turned around, leaving his prey unconscious on the bench. The girl he'd preyed on would live. His preys always did. Naruto did not believe in killing. Although he'd drained much more blood then usual today.

The boy _glided_, as a vampire would, through the night sky. No one would probably notice him except for those nasty vampire hunters.

**_Tears flowed from the little blonde boy's eyes as he struggled with the rope. _**

**_"I'm not weird! I'm not a monster! I never was! Let me go!" _**

Naruto's blue eyes narrowed. _A monster... _He hated that word.

-

**Author: Good chapter? Bad chapter? **


	23. Fight III

**Author: Please read chapter 14 before reading this. That's because this chapter was written based on chapter 14 mostly… So don't get confused when reading this… **

Temari closed her eyes, steadying herself. The amount of magic, or rather energy used to create the barrier had taken quite a toll on her body. Her knees were shaking and it was taking her quite an effort to even stand steadily. All these symptoms just added up to her disadvantages.

Basically, vampire hunters that originated from long ago used to arm themselves with only holy water, stakes, some arrows, and garlic. But somehow, the art of manipulating energy into some other form—in other words, magic—came into usage. And that was what Temari was doing right now.

Gaara bared his fangs openly. "**_I shall feed on your blood,_**" He growled, taking a few steps forward.

The hunter bit her lip hard, her eyes steely. The sound that always spoke in her mind when in combat sounded. _Prepare…_

"**_I'll drain you!" _**

The vampire suddenly went towards her, and she ducked, skidding to the other side of the building.

"**_Stop running away!_**"

Temari gasped. Gaara was fast. His speed had increased dramatically since his hunting days. Her hands started to move automatically into a seal. The converting-energy seal…

"**_You depend on your magic too much, human!_**"

A black shadow moved in front of Temari, pushed her down onto the floor, and grabbed both her hands. Hard.

_Kick him! Get him off you! _

"**_I'm not falling for that._**"

Gaara pulled her from the floor, and drove her to the wall forcibly. There was a loud _bang _and a yell of pain as the girl slammed onto the wall.

"**_Aaah…_**" The boy whispered, leaning close to her face, his eyes closed, and white fangs becoming even more prominent. It was a classic sign that all hunters and even ordinary humans knew. You get stuck in a corner, unable to move. Then the vampire bites.

_Damn! This is…_ Temari struggled hard, trying to pry herself from her brother's grip once again. But it was futile. Vampires were pretty well known for their extraordinary strength. In fact, Gaara could snap both of her arms instantly if he wanted to. But for some reason, he didn't.

"NO! Stay away from me! Stay away!" Her normal voice had deteriorated to a shriek.

Gaara stopped.

**_"It hurts! I'm burning! Sister, help me!"_**

**_All Temari saw were the bloodshot eyes, the tears, and dried blood. She edged away, her hands covering her ears, her own eyes forming tears._**

**_"TEMARI!" Gaara screamed._**

**_"No!" Temari yelled. "Stay away from me! Stay away!"_**

**_"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"_**

Gaara's grip on her hand tightened so much that both their hands were trembling.

"Why…Why must you say that?"

**_Huh? _**Temari stopped struggling and blinked. His tone had changed completely. It wasn't a growl anymore; it sounded more like a kid who was scared and hurt.

**_Scared… And hurt… _**

The boy's green eyes interlocked with hers. And both swirling green orbs confirmed her thoughts. _Was it… **That day? **_

She kept quiet, her dark blue-greenish eyes wide and listening.

However, keeping quiet didn't seem to be quite a good solution. Gaara got even more agitated.

"Answer me! Why did you say that?"

His tone had changed again. He was panicking, he was starting to get angry, he was scared.

Temari couldn't bring herself to speak. She didn't know what to say at all. **_How…How can I compensate for all this? What can I do? _**

**_What have I done? _**

To her dismay, tears started to form in her eyes.

Gaara's eyes searched her desperately, his grip tightening even further. Then he stopped when he caught sight of salty tears leaking down from her face.

"Y-You're scared of me?"

No response.

The monstrous grip on Temari's hands loosened, and disappeared completely. Gaara had released her.

"I hate you."

Temari's heart skipped a beat. Her breathing rate lessened so much; it was almost as if his sentence had caused her body to stop functioning properly.

"I hate you."

The fear and panic in her brother's face had gone. Anger, anger, and more anger replaced his eyes and expression completely.

"I HATE YOU!"

Two pale hands shot out and went around her neck again, strangling her hard.

The girl choked. _Not again. _

_Not again. _

Tears that were flowing down her face started to move down steadily as her emotions increased and strengthened.

_I-I understand… _

She'd recalled that day where Gaara had turned into a vampire. Instead of helping her bother, she'd backed away from him, asking him—_pleading _with him to move away. She was scared.

_Scared? What about Gaara? _

She knew. Gaara had the right to hate her. His hopes, his love, his expectations of his big sister had all been destroyed. To him, she was a big coward.

_I tried to kill Gaara. _

Temari had yelled that Gaara, being a vampire, was an enemy. All along, she was nearly convinced that being a _vampire hunter_, staking him was just part of her job. She'd wanted to stake him because of _her job_.

But the truth was…

"…I… was scared." Temari whispered, moving her hands up to Gaara's. She touched those cold, pale hands tenderly, coughing as life started to go out of her.

The vampire blinked when he heard that sentence, and even his eyes softened for a moment. But fury alighted in his eyes once again when he processed her words fully.

"Scared?" He snarled. "I'll make _you _scared!" His hands applied more pressure to her neck, and air coming in and out from her lungs was almost to a bare minimum.

Temari gasped. "You…have the right… to… hate….me…"

Gaara glared at the girl, but he was listening to her words. And they were chipping away at his heart little by little.

"But…Gaara…" The blonde girl looked at him straight in the eye, unblinking.

"You'll…always…be...my..."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Gaara yelled, releasing her neck and pushing her to one side.

In the process, the yellow bear came flying out from his pocket and landed on Temari's face.

-

"…Letting herself be strangled like that…creating a barrier…Geez, Temari…" Shikamaru slapped himself on the forehead.

Sasuke looked at the scene intently, hands in his pockets, his eyes narrowed into slits. "…Humph!" He threw a stake at the tree angrily, and it stabbed into the tree trunk.

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows, and turned back to the fight. _He's probably disappointed that Temari didn't even react, huh… _

The boy with the pineapple-style ponytail grinned despite the situation. _Events that had both happened to them were similar to some extent… But I suppose you loved your brother too, Sasuke? _

_…That's why you hate him so much… _

-

"The bear…" Temari picked up the soft toy from her face. "You've…always kept it?"

Gaara stopped, panting, his eyes wide.

"…It was a present… for your birthday…" The girl muttered slowly, trying to fight the tears that were still flowing fresh from her eyes.

"…You…You…" Gaara choked, reaching a hand in her direction. "G-Give that back to me…You…You liar…"

Temari stopped. _L-Liar? _

"…You hate me, don't you? You've always hated me..." The boy said, his voice shaky. "You hate me… You didn't give me that bear… Because you've always hated me… It's just not possible… Liar…"

"Gaara"— The girl started.

**"LIAR!" **

He dove at her, snatching the bear from her and pushing her further away from him.

Temari could feel her body—bruised and battered, but luckily not bleeding.

"I"—She coughed, holding her chest. "I gave that bear to you for your birthday, even though Father forbids it. Vampire hunters are not supposed to be emotionally attached to anyone or anything. All they have to do is to just slay vampires, and that's their only goal in life."

The girl lumbered towards her brother, still in pain.

"First rule." She burst into coughing fits again. "Attack fiercely. Have no mercy."

"Second rule."

"…Have no fear…of death." Gaara recited, stunned that the words were flowing out of his mouth-- naturally. And no surprise here. Gaara's father had drilled the rules into him ever since he was one.

"Third rule… Most importantly, trust no one . Have no feelings, no emotions, no tears." The siblings said in unison.

The vampire recoiled, covering his mouth. "I don't know you." He said, his voice trembling. "I don't want to prey on anyone today. Go away. I'm letting you go."

"Gaara! Don't try to escape from it!" Temari yelled, and she was sobbing openly now. "There is a way! Vampire hunters have been searching for a way to change human-turned-vampire back to normal beings again! You can become a human, Gaara!"

"Go _away! Shut your trap!_" Gaara yelled, if possible even a few volumes louder than his sister's.

"It should be wise for you to stake him now. He obviously doesn't want to listen to you anymore."

Temari spun around. Sasuke.

"How did you"—

"You must have forgotten about your barrier completely, huh?"

Barriers are pretty much powerful tools in both defending and attacking, but the price for it is a rather big amount of magic and concentration. Once the user forgets or releases his or her concentration on actually holding the barrier, it falls apart.

"…Shikamaru!" Temari pleaded, looking at the boy standing next to Sasuke.

Shikamaru looked at her straight in the eye, his brow furrowed. "You'll die like this. This just can't go on anymore."

"I can't just _kill him!_" The blonde girl screamed at her fellow companions.

"Then I will." Sasuke glared at the red-haired monster. "I still have a score to settle."

Temari responded by pushing him away. The raven-haired boy did not change his stony expression even after that.

"Your brother has been struggling, hurting, and suffering all this time." Shikamaru tried a gentle approach. "You have to end this."

"No! I don't want to"— Temari started.

The boy's eyes narrowed.

"YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO END THIS! HE CHANGED INTO A VAMPIRE BECAUSE OF YOU!" Shikamaru boomed.

That was it.

"I'm been researching…" Temari tried to say something in defense.

"How **_long _**will it be when you come up with the final result? Your brother can't wait any longer. And I'm holding him with my shadow spell right now! So get along!" The hunter shoved her towards Gaara, who was strangely still and calm.

Temari tried one last time to defend herself, to find any excuse to just keep her brother alive. But they were correct. It was her responsibility. If she'd let him live till the time when she made up her human-to-vampire-back-to-human solution, god knows how many people would have fallen prey.

Both Shikamaru's and Sasuke's faces were stoned in position. They were determined to get rid of him. Temari knew very well that even if she didn't stake her brother, the two of them will.

"…Thank you." She said softly, taking out a stake from her pocket.

The target was there. Silent, and still calm. Gaara's eyes were dull, and his fangs had shrunk back into his gums. He seemed to be ready.

Temari started to walk, then she broke into a run. In her vision, her brother was holding up the yellow bear, close to his heart. And he was.

"GAARA!" She screamed, plunging the stake down.

-

**_Stab. _**

"One… two…three…"

Temari's eyes widened, tears coming out from them hard and fast.

"Three…two…one…"

Gaara coughed and broke into a smile, his hands holding Temari's face.

The silver stake had gone through the yellow bear, and right into his heart.

"I…found you…sister…"

Temari released her hold on the stake and hugged her brother tightly, feeling him melt into feathery, white, pure ashes.

"I've never hated you, Gaara…I've never hated you!" She yelled, crying.

Her yells echoed into the dawn, and sounded all round the alley.

"_Gaara!" _

-


	24. School

Ino adjusted her ponytail and at the same time searching for her pink-haired friend.

_Aha! _

Grinning, she slowly crept up to Sakura, who was slouching on the desk.

"SAKURA! GOOD MORNING!" The blonde girl yelled cheerfully, thumping Sakura on the back.

No response.

"Huh?" Ino blinked. She snapped her fingers, startling the girl. "Sakura? Are you alive?"

The figure that looked up had the most terrible face ponytail blonde had ever seen in her life. In fact, Ino's reaction to that was to scream at the top of her lungs.

"What happened to you?" She gasped, placing both hands on Sakura's shoulders and shaking her hard. Unfocused jade eyes looked back at Ino, giving a "Who-are-you?" expression. Then Sakura shook her head and went, "Oh, Ino."

**_"Oh, Ino." _**

Light green-blue eyes widened at that sentence, and Sakura's friend covered her mouth in shock.

"That's all you can say? _Oh, Ino?_"

"What?" The pink-haired wonder asked, irritated. "Why are you yelling at me so early in the morning anyway?"

**SILENCE **

"I give up." Ino sighed, and knocked on the desk. "What's going on with you? You're not like your usual self today."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Sakura snapped, crossing her arms haughtily. "I'm as normal as ever!"

"Yeah, right." Ino said sarcastically. "Especially your face."

"…Sakura?"

"Huh?"

Another blonde, grinning face loomed into Sakura's point of view. "Good morning!"

"Uh… Good…"

Then the girl remembered last night's events, and curled her hands into a fist.

"Good morning to you too," She said, maintaining a pleasantly smiling face, and gave Naruto a swift one on the stomach.

"S-Sakura…?" Ino asked shakily, diverting her gaze to the boy who was currently yelling a continuous "OW!" on the floor.

"Hah?" Sakura said innocently, blinking as she cracked her knuckles.

Then a whole row of girls appeared from behind Sakura. The process took about five seconds, and they asked the question that Ino was about to ask at the time.

"_Why did you do that to Naruto?" _

"Eek!" The pink-haired schoolgirl yelped as she turned and saw several menacing faces that resembled Medusa.

-

Sasuke looked at the floor as he walked, ignoring the series of "Good Morning!" that followed him through the corridors.

His heart was thumping, and his mind was swirling with something heavy. He knew what that was. It was a sign of _worry. _Sasuke had never been familiar with emotions. Sure, he was okay with what people called "hate", but other than that…

"Worry" was another one. But the feeling now was _different_. It wasn't about vampires or anything of that sort. It was worlds apart form that.

There was screaming and yelling coming from the classroom. The student shook his head promptly, and pushed the sliding door open with one pale hand.

**_Creak. _**

His presence in the room had a stunning effect on the noise level.

Fangirls stopped chasing their victim, their mouths dropping open. Eyes went wide. A lolly dropped from some drooling guy's mouth. Even birds outside the window stopped chirping.

"…"

Sasuke covered his ears just as a roaring and shrilly "SASUKE-KUN!" burst out.

On the other hand, Sakura was free. The girls chasing her had someone else to occupy their minds with.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, then Sakura, his mouth curling in a grin.

-

**_Recess _**

"Say, Sakura, have you picked your dress yet?" Ino asked through a mouthful of bread.

"Dress?" Sakura looked alarmed. "What dress?"

"The dress for the grand fair! It's the biggest event in the school! The teacher told us about it! Have you forgotten?"

"That stupid event where everyone has to dress up in ancient costumes?"

"It's not stupid!"

"Whatever you say… I don't want to go…"

"I thought you're excited about it."

"Correction. _You _are excited about it. Not me."

Ino popped the last piece of bread into her mouth. "You're going."

Sakura bit on her straw. "Ino, I just don't want to go."

**BANG! **

_"You are going." _Ino's eyes could have emitted sparks.

Sakura gulped. "Fine, fine. I'll go." She held up both of her hands in surrender.

"Good." Ino sat down, patting her _own_ hands free of any bread crust.

"But I won't have a partner anyway. And I'll just sit there looking like an idiot." Sakura muttered, sucking on her straw.

"Who said that you won't have a partner? Naruto and _Sasuke _are fighting because of you, isn't it?" Ino said unhappily.

_Sasuke. _

Sakura banged both of her hands on the table surface, and the round metal furniture the girls were sitting at shook a second time.

"What's the matter with you?" Ino asked, raising her eyebrows, hurriedly grabbing her milk before it spilled. "And wait… Why did you punch Naruto just now?"  
Sakura turned red immediately. "Nothing. Just a little payback."

"...Payback for what?"

"Naruto!" Ino turned, noticing her fellow blonde behind her.

"For what happened _yesterday_!" Sakura snarled, answering Naruto's question.

The vampire-by-night-student-by-day boy leaned closer. Not a very good idea. Ino moved back a few centimeters.

"Look, that was my _first_ too." Naruto protested. "And anyway, you should be thanking me for bandaging your knee."

Dark green eyes blinked, turning their direction towards a bandaged knee.

"Oh…Yeah…Right." Sakura started, feeling just a tad embarrassed.

"_Right_," Naruto said smugly.

"Uh. Thanks." The girl said, cracking her knuckles for a second time. "But I don't like your tone."

A fist shot out and made contact with the blonde's face at a few hundred meters per minute.

**"OW!" **

**- **

Sasuke closed his eyes, lying back on his chair.

He was alone in the classroom. It was rather dark without the lights on. And it was a time to think.

_Temari had staked her brother. _

_Her brother used to be human. _

Another image of Itachi slipped into his mind, causing the Uchiha to grind his teeth in frustration.

Vampire abilities—such as a strong sense of smell were already emerging within him. He could even identify Sakura's blood, which he had seen before. (And smelt because he'd seen it.) What would happen next? Will he end up just like Gaara?

Will he die like that?

**_No. _**

**_I will kill Itachi. No one gets to me before Itachi does. _**

**_If that is that case, then… _**

A finger reached out and stroked the desk before him, almost lovingly. Then a fist reached out and crushed it into two.

Amazing strength. Another vampire trait. It was coming to him, too.

_Filthy! _

_Sick! _

_DISGUSTING! _

Sasuke could hear and feel his heart beating like crazy. Not good. He didn't know what it was, or _how _it was, but it wasn't a good sign. The red, hurting fist slowly relaxed.

The hunter felt his breathing rate slow down. Then he was a normal, human being again.

"…"

He looked down at the remains of the desk, and back to his reddish, bruised hand.

**_Stop bothering me _**

**_Stop occupying my thoughts _**

**_If you want to kill me just get it over with _**

**_I am your prey, aren't I? _**

**_So why won't you strike? _**

**_Why must you stare at me with those red, taunting eyes of yours? _**

**_Why must you make me fear the nights so much? _**

**_Every single second that passes… _**

**_…Could be my last. _**

**_Stop it, please just stop it _**

**_I'd rather die than to live the days by _**

**_Frightened, wondering, worrying _**

**_If not just vanish from my life completely _**

-

**Author: (Coughs) Thanks so much for your feedback for the previous chapter. I'll be writing chapters and some of the contents were already featured in other chapters, and thus please refer back if you don't understand (Looks around nervously) I really do hope you guys enjoy my story… And the reviews have been a constant encouragement! I'm really grateful for that. (Really!) **


	25. Worries

"What happened?"  
"Sasuke's desk…"

"…I'll replace your desk, Sasuke." The teacher in charge said, looking at the smashed table warily. "Meanwhile, just share a table with someone else."

**_Share a table! _**

All girls in the classroom perked up immediately and looked at the raven-haired boy with shining eyes…

"That's fine, teacher. I'll just stand first. It shouldn't take a long time."

Sakura looked worriedly at the hand Sasuke was concealing in his pocket. _Did he smash the table?  
**What are you thinking about? Him smashing a table? **_

_Oh, yeah. I'm dumb. It's none of my business anyway. _

But instinct told Sakura that something was going to happen. Something bad. And oddly enough— She clutched her neck nervously —concerning vampires.

-

**_Evening _**

Kiba cast a glance at Temari, who was buried in a mass of books. "…So it was her, huh? That was one hell of magic to have created a barrier like _that _yesterday. Akamaru sensed it immediately."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Well, it's a good thing, I guess." He flexed his shoulder muscles, and yawned loudly. "I'm going to sleep. School was tough today." He stretched, opened the door and closed it, generally whistling a song while strolling through the corridors.

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "School's tough?" He looked at Akamaru, who stared back at him. "Wasn't he sleeping in class today?"

-

_Tap. _

_Whoosh. _

"W-What?"

Hinata spun over anxiously, her hands clutching the straps of her school bag. Obviously, as all stories go, there was no one behind her.

The time was rather late. Hinata was walking back from school, as per usual. Her nerves had been on edge ever since the vampire incident. Not a single good night's sleep…

_Nightmares. _

Those white eyes, and fangs…

**_Fangs… _**

Hinata covered her face with her hands, dropping her school bag in the process.

_I… I... have to go home. _

_Those fangs… _

"No!" Hinata gasped, grabbing her bag from the ground, and started to run.

_Why am I thinking about this anyway? _

She stopped, panting, at the gate of her house. It was a rather huge house. A mansion, to be exact. Hinata's parents were overseas on assignment. So it was just her in the house. Daily calls from America were made to the mansion though. Her mother was worried about her shaky tone, but Hinata had just told her not to worry. She never did like people worrying about her.

_I'm the one who worries the most. _

Hinata sank down on the sofa, putting the back of her hand against her forehead.

_There's no one. _

Hinata lay down on the sofa._ That hunter guy… with his dog…_ The girl's mouth slowly curved into an unintentional smile. _I've never thanked him, did I? _

"…Will I meet him again…?"

Eyes slowly closed, and soon the schoolgirl fell into a deep sleep.

**_A new-born flower _**

**_A bee, attracted by its colour _**

**_A schoolgirl's first feelings of love _**

-

Neji stood on the rooftop of the building where Temari and Gaara had last battled.

"..."

"Neji."

The vampire spun around, even though his nose had already picked up the scent. "Naruto." He muttered, his white eyes looking at the floor.

The blonde boy looked especially happy. The emotion was radiating from his every pore. Neji cringed, feeling somewhat disgusted. It was _pure happiness._ Not that of satisfaction after having a prey.

"Why do you look so happy? One of our comrades just died."

"Well, we'll have a new addition to the family soon." Naruto cracked his knuckles, grinning.

"Oh, really? Who?" Neji, in spite of himself, was curious. You don't get new vampires every day. And plus, thanks to those vampire hunters, the numbers were decreasing drastically. And though it was good news to humans, it wasn't good news for them. Their only hope was to covert humans into vampires, or through marriage. But the new generation of vampires is still pretty young, and the chances of humans marrying vampires are almost zero. A _special_, a vampire that had the ability to change a human into one of their kind, are rare. Extremely rare.

Neji himself had come from one of those respected vampire families, though not a _special _kind, but it comes close. He could mark his prey with his teeth marks, and they will not vanish until the victim dies, or turns into a vampire. Not even with _the ritual_ those nasty hunters normally perform to the prey.

"A hunter."

White eyes blinked twice.

"What?"

"I said it. A hunter. He was probably bitten by a special, and now he cannot resist the vampirism in him anymore. There will be results soon."

"And you're _happy _about that? I don't believe it."

"I'm not, of course. I'm happy about…" Naruto clasped his hands together, his eyes shining. Neji got the message, and groaned.

"Naruto, you're nuts."

"Nuts?" The boy cocked his head innocently.

"She's a human being. You're a vampire. No deal. No go. Different."

"So?"

"You'll be sucking her blood as soon as you two get married, and then she'd die. It always happens." Neji said absentmindedly.

"Married? You mean Sakura and I could get married someday?" Naruto's happiness cracked up another notch.

It was too much for the other vampire to take.

"…I'm outta here."

-

Sakura slumped on her armchair, her eyes closed. The heavy feeling in her had not yet settled, like she hoped it would. In fact, it was getting worse.

"I'm worried about Sasuke." She said aloud, and then stopped.

"Shit. I'm losing it. Sakura, you're losing it." She murmured, supporting her forehead with both hands. _I want to ask him. I want to… _

**_You were just next to me _**

**_And yet _**

**_I missed you _**

**_I missed you so much _**

**_You'd forgotten _**

**_I wanted to leave _**

**_I'd wanted to forget too _**

**_Since my existence is not known to you _**

**_You'd completely forgotten. _**

**_Close _**

**_And far… _**

**_I ran, and I never caught up _**

**_Falling— _**

**_I see you walking away further _**

**_Is it time to say goodbye? _**

**_Is it really the time for me to let go? _**

**_To accept the fact that you weren't what you used to be? _**

**_Why can't I do it? _**

**_It hurts _**

**_It really hurts so much _**

**Author: I'm… not going to make it… I'm back at school after the holidays… Homework… Exams… Stress… I'm sorry for this lousy chapter… I need a break… Arrgh! (collapses) **


	26. Beginning

**_Alone _**

**_Lonely _**

**_Terrified _**

**_Angry _**

**_Hurt _**

**_Frightened _**

**What kind of a _human _being would want to be all this? **

"Huh…What…?" Kiba managed to ask, his eyebrow raised, looking at the pretty-looking pink-haired girl standing on the doorstep of the old, huge mansion.

"I…I…"

"Wait. That smell and that face. You've been here before, haven't you? And you were being brought here by Sasuke the last time, right?"

Sakura swallowed, looking at the boy straight in the eyes. "Yes. You have a good memory."

Akamaru barked.

"Sakura?"

The girl nodded.

"So what do you want…" Kiba asked lazily, his right hand still on the handle. "If there's nothing, I'd rather you _not_ be in here."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably. _I don't want to be in there either. I just need to… _

_Eh… Need to… _

"I need to talk to your roommate." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Why?"

"Why are _you _asking?"

"I live in _this _house, miss. You can't just go in or out as you please."

"I need to talk to your roommate." Sakura flushed, her teeth gritted. "It's important."

"No. Go away. _Away._"

"You"—The girl started, and realized that the door was closing.

"Wait a minute."

Kiba stopped instinctively at that.

Time for some quick thinking. Sakura released the pressure she was exerting on her jaw _and thought_.

Green eyes sparkled, with the sudden inspiration of an idea. The guy probably wasn't going to let her go in easy. _So I'll just… _

"I WANT TO TALK TO SASUKE!" She yelled, making Kiba jump, and dashed past the door _and_ _him_, causing the boy to bang hard against the wall.

"OW!"

Akamaru sat down, amused at the sight, and barked again.

-

"Sasuke! SASUKE!" Sakura yelled, running through the huge corridors. "I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!"

"SASUKE!"

She stopped to take in a deep breath and bellowed.

"SASUKE"—

_SLAP! _

"OW!"

A huge, thick, red book had come spinning out of nowhere and knocked Sakura on the head.

"SHUT IT WILL YOU? I'M STUDYING HERE!"

An angry blonde.

The intruder blinked. _Who is she? _

Then something occurred to her. That girl who was ranting on about some vampire called Gaara that time she visited. And the girl who'd broken her window, wielding some sort of weird fan. _Is she a hunter, too? _

"…You're the girl!" Sakura gasped, rubbing her bruised head and pointing at her dramatically.

Temari crossed her arms. "You're _that _girl Sasuke brought, as well. What are _you _doing here? If you're searching for Sasuke, like how you were, screaming away like a mad being just now, this is the wrong place. Sasuke's not home yet."

"Oh." Sakura said.

"Get _out_." Temari pointed to the door fiercely.

The other girl didn't react. Then—

"OOMF!"  
Kiba had one hand over Sakura's mouth, and dragging her to the door.

"Goodbye." The boy hissed in her ear, almost gleefully, and flung her out.

-

Sasuke trudged past the numerous trees, bushes, flowers, or whatever vegetation that was growing.

It was getting late.

_Go home. _

**_I can't. _**

_Why not? _

**_If they find out… _**

_But you've been slowly developing these abilities over the years. _

**_Well, I'm reaching the final stage. _**

_What do you mean? _His other self asked innocently.

**_The superhuman strength said it all. And now this feeling. _**

"Urgh"—He clutched his chest, coughing hard. He had been fighting with what will he had-- fighting the vampire instinct within him.

_No one can last forever! _

Sasuke fell to his knees, coughing. Why was he feeling so sick? He can't possibly be changing now. It wasn't the time of the full moon yet.

He'd survived numerous full moons, so why not this?

**_WHY? _**

"Ha! A scrawny kid!"

Sasuke stopped, turning around.

Two big guys were looming over him, their fists clenched, and yellow teeth showing.

A silver knife pointed at his throat.

"Money or life." One of them said simply.

_Robbers? _

"Say something. Go on." The other one continued. "Or run away, you coward."

The pale boy laughed. "You're _robbing me_?"

"What's wrong with that?" The bald one asked, insulted by the sound of his laughter, and swung a huge fist at him…

-

Sakura managed to steady herself before she fell to the ground.

The door slammed, and she could hear laughter echoing out from the mansion itself.

_That stupid guy with the dog..! _

But she couldn't risk an insult. Anyway, it had been her fault in the first place by barging into the house uninvited.

The girl walked slowly, not noticing the darkness that was slowly beginning to form in the skies. _What can I say to Sasuke anyway? Apologize again? _

_…I…just want to ask if he's all right. _

What could his response be? Tell her off? Tell her that it wasn't her business?

Sakura closed her eyes, her head bowed, and taking stronger, larger strides.

-

Blood spurted and landed on Sasuke's face. But that wasn't the point. The point was that the bald man was screaming at the huge bleeding gash on his fist, making his 'strength' useless. The other man was backing away as well, wide eyed and shaky.

"W-Who are you?" He stammered at the youth.

Red eyes glanced at him for a second. Then the man stopped.

Paralyzed!

The bald man looked at his accomplice briefly, and took off, still screaming.

Sasuke grinned madly, the _cursed mark _spreading from the bite that Itachi had given him so long ago.

"You two are _annoying_, you know that?" He asked, his eyes flickering over to the other man, stopping him as well.

The two guys didn't say a word.

"I wouldn't want blood as filthy as yours. I want _her _blood." He licked his lips, a strange glint coming over his onyx eyes. "Ever since I'd smelt it, I'd fallen…"

"In love with it!"

-

**Author: The '_her'_ Sasuke was referring to… You should know who she is, right? (Laughs nervously) Thanks for the reviews… About school… I'm fighting fatigue better now… (Glares daggers at the tutor) … Not tuition though. **

**Gah! I detest tuition! I _dislike _every single second of it! (Screams for another 30 seconds, and cools down) I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter! Arigato to all readers for the support! **


	27. Target

**_I… _**

**_I am myself, right…? _**

**_No one can ever take over… _**

-

Naruto looked up suddenly from his very untidy homework. Neji, who was helping Naruto rewrite his homework, looked up as well.

"Did you feel that?" Both vampires asked each other at the same time.

Naruto got up.

"I think that guy I was talking about is transforming into a vampire right about _now_."

"And what are you going to do?" Sliver eyes blinked uninterestedly.

"Uh. Take a look?"

Neji stopped his fellow companion from walking out the door by tearing an essay into half.

"NOOOO! I SPENT A DAY DOING THIS!" Naruto yelled, grabbing the two torn pieces away before Neji split them into further quarters.

" Moron. Don't get into troublesome things." Neji muttered. A hand reached out and shoved the other vampire onto the chair roughly.

"Stay here and do your work. I'm going out." Ignoring the protests from the blonde, the figure was gone, sealing the house as he went.

-

A soft, feminine hand stopped at the doorknob of the wooden door.

**_… There won't be anyone in here, anyway. _**

Sakura closed her eyes, sighed, and stuffed her keys back in her pocket. "Ino…" She muttered. "Yeah, I'll go visit her…"

She turned around, and stopped.

**_Should I tell her everything? _**

_Of course. She's your friend since young, hello. _

**_Just… Just because of that? I don't want to let her know. _**

_You need someone to talk to, don't you? _

The schoolgirl clenched her fists, took in a deep breath, and sat down on the steps of the porch.

"What the hell was I thinking?" She said out loud. "Going to his house just to ask him how he's feeling? He doesn't even care about me."

Confused green eyes looked up at the star-filled sky, and she hugged herself tighter.

"Why should I care?"

**_Dammit. I don't know what to do. I should… just be carrying on with my life, pretending that nothing has happened, and move on. But I'm still stuck here. What is _**_making **me stuck here? **_

"What is it?" She asked, still staring up at the heavens. "Someone tell me."

"Someone… Tell me."

-

"H-Huh?"

Onyx eyes blinked. It was red everywhere. Just like _that_ time…

"I-Itachi?" Sasuke said involuntarily. "Is that you? Itachi?" He looked around at the pathway, the benches, the trees, the plants, and everything around him.

They weren't black or in shades of dark green, like what people would generally infer as. It was red.

Dark red.

_I… _

Sasuke looked down at his hands. Raw and bleeding.

_…Am-Am I bleeding? _

He held them up closer.

_It's someone else's…blood! _

"WHAT?" He yelled, spinning around.

Two big guys greeted him, lying on the cement ground and a red pool slowly forming around them. They were bleeding; perhaps dead or unconscious.

Sasuke's eyes widened, and in spite of the numerous emotions that were churning in him, he went to them and tested for their breathing.

They were alive. Badly injured, but alive.

"…Covered with deep cuts." The boy whispered upon observation of their condition, and his gaze lowered down to his hands.

There was a pause for a second or two.

"…I…did it…?"

-

_"Every night of the full moon…A new vampire appears." _

_Ten-year old Sasuke glared at the man and jabbed his stake into the table unknowingly. _

_"Do your best, boy." The grey haired hunter said, adjusting his mask. "I'll help you if that time really comes." _

_"I don't need your help." Sasuke said flatly. _

_The man laughed, waved, and he was gone. _

_-_

Sasuke swallowed, observing his hands. The inside of his fingernails were streaked with blood. It was as though he'd _clawed _his attackers.

No doubt. He was slowly converting.

Without even knowing what he was doing, Sasuke had stuck out his tongue, and was about to lick his hands when a familiar smell slowly drifted in from the surroundings.

-

"NEJI YOU BASTARD!" Naruto screamed, banging the door. "SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU LEARNT THE HUNTER'S WAY OF SEALING HOUSES?"

Neji had sealed the house when he took off. In other words, he'd caused Naruto to be trapped in the house until he came back.

The blonde boy stomped to the table, glaring at the pieces of paperwork. He wouldn't be able to get out unless someone, _anyone _let him out.

One name came to mind.

Naruto closed his eyes, and started to use very ounce of his detecting skills.

The houses, the roads, the exhaust fumes of the few cars that rode on the road, the trees, some people who were taking a stroll…

He frowned, concentrating harder. Then he caught it.

"Sakura…" Naruto whispered, his arms opening, as if to embrace her, and opened his eyes.

They glowed red.

-

Sakura stopped, her eyes widening. Something seemed to be controlling her. She was getting up.

Her brain had not ordered her to do that, but her leg muscleswere moving, her body was going forwards, her arms stiff. The only muscles that she could control were her facial muscles, and they were twisted in a confused-cum- frightened expression.

Then an image formed in her mind. Red eyes.

She was running; sprinting, her pink hair flying all over her face, and wind gathering around her, almost edging her on as she picked up speed.

-

Silver eyes were what Sasuke could make out from within the redness.

Neji looked at the unconscious men, his fangs bared. There was blood.

He lunged, his features inhuman. Free blood. How could any vampire resist?

**_A coffin _**

**_An ancient window _**

**_The tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the corner _**

**_A steaming cup of coffee _**

**_A rocking chair _**

**_There was nothing different. _**

**_The lady smiled, hugging the coffin close _**

**_Nothing had changed _**

**_He was still with her _**

**_He hadn't died _**

**_She closed her eyes, her features reminding people that of a lady in her wedding ceremony _**

**_Reality… _**

Sasuke shoved Neji away, and the force that came from his arms sent him flying.

Neji halted himself and growled, his hands turning into claws.

The other boy's first instinct was to pick up his stake. And he did, reaching into his pocket, flicking the knife open.

The blade went slicing through the air as Neji ducked the attack.

There was no conversation. Not even a war cry.

Both boys dived straight into a fight of their lives.

-

Sakura stopped in front of a mansion. It was similar to Sasuke's, but older.

Her feet moved, and the gates swung open, allowing her to enter.

A trembling hand moved towards the brown, delicately designed doorknob.

The door opened.

Somehow, Sakura couldn't make out who the person was. He was familiar, but all she could see were those red eyes…

And black.

Naruto caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Sorry." He mumbled, taking in a deep breath of the night air, and choked.

"Urgh. Cars."

He rubbed his nose, looking at the prize in his arms.

"I guess the matter about Sasuke can wait…"

He opened his mouth, and fangs grew out hungrily.

Naruto leaned in, positioning his mouth at Sakura's neck, and bit.

**Author: (Starts typing the next chapter) **


	28. Slowly

Blood dribbled down Sakura's neck as Naruto took her blood. And as the red liquid nourished him, the victim's energy was depleting, little by little as the vampire took more.

-

Both Sasuke and Neji stopped.

It was smell of blood. Not the men. Another smell. A different person.

This time, when the hunter recognized whose blood it was, his eyes began to slip in and out of focus.

Black eyes. Red eyes. Black eyes.

A mix.

Neji backed away. According to what the image told him, the guy had already lost about 60 percent of his humanity. The full moon was coming soon.

Very soon. He glanced up. The white orb hanging in the ink-black sky was almost full.

Wind circled around the area, and Sasuke snarled at the strange, silver eyes that belonged to the other vampire.

Then he vanished.

Neji blinked, taking out a bottle and filling it with the blood that covered the pavement.

"Hmm...pretty fast for a human-turning-vampire." He commented, tilting the bottle to his mouth.

-

_Hinata… _

Eyes traced the girl's facial features, from the closed eyes to the nose, and the pale, unblemished skin…

"ARF!"

Kiba stopped, diverting his gaze from the sleeping schoolgirl for a while.

"Akamaru?"

The dog barked.

"Blood? From the park?"

The white furred- animal barked another time, and howled.

Kiba's eyes widened.

"Sasuke?" He stammered. "Where is he?"

The dog took off, whining.

"Wait!" His master gasped, running after his dog.

In the house, Hinata lay peacefully on the sofa, temporarily forgotten.

-

A gloved hand ran through a mass of spiked grey hair, and the other one holding an orange book.

"So he's starting to change for real, huh…"

The man leapt down from the tree, stuffed the book into a waist pouch, and started to stroll.

-

Temari drew her blonde fringe back from her forehead, her forehead wrinkled, just as she always was.

"…Stake?" She whispered, flicking the old page and scanning the contents.

_Grandfather had managed to turn grandmother, who was turning into a vampire, back into a human. Numerous people have sought to get the secret from him, but none succeeded… _

_Not even his own family. Not even his sons. _

_He'd obviously brought the secret to his grave. And grandmother as well. _

Temari fought to stop her emotions from taking over her. _Gaara is dead. I have to help Sasuke. _

_I don't want another vampire… Not another hunter I know… _

"Temari?"

Shikamaru stood at the front door, holding up a steaming cup of coffee. "You sure work hard. And you're only two years older than me."

Temari shook her head, and got up from her desk, sipping the coffee gratefully. "You could help me, you know." She said, her tired eyes staring at the clock.

"Like how?" Shikamaru slumped onto the couch, resting his head on a pillow. "I don't have the least idea of how humans convert into vampires."

"You do. Don't act dumb."

"Well, yeah, but not the details, like the cells or anything."  
"The cells…" Temari sighed, rubbing her neck. "The only way to become a vampire is to be bitten by a special. Their fangs inject this substance into the body, which somehow interferes with the body's DNA and resulting in cell mutation… Actually, it's about the same as viruses. Perhaps the substance that is injected can be considered a virus."

The boy stretched, yawning. "Vampires are supposed to be supernatural creatures, and now you're talking about science."

"It _is_ about science. Everything's about science. Like what you use. Shadows."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I summon my energy, and use it to do the things I want. That's to sum it up." He yawned again, tears coming out from his eyes. "It's a complex process. Even the art of converting energy has only been recently discovered and used by hunters… say, less then a century ago?"

Temari crossed her arms. "I know what you're driving at. But I'll try. I'm going to die trying." She turned back to her desk.

Shikamaru stood up, catching the empty coffee cup that was being flung towards him. "Whatever you say."

-

Everything was red.

Red, red, red!

He couldn't see. His body was moving on its own. He could smell.

But he couldn't see. It was just red.

Red!

Sasuke growled, skidding to a halt in front of the house. They were gone.

The pair was gone. The vampire had taken the victim with him.

Sasuke's victim. Sasuke's property.

Another smell was approaching him. Someone he knew.

Sasuke jumped as soon as a dart stuck the spot he was standing on.

"Who?" He questioned, baring his teeth—which were slowly growing fangs. Not that of a vampire fangs yet, but fangs. And it _hurt._

Sasuke grabbed his jaw, screaming in pain, his mouth slowly filling up with blood because of the growing fangs.

Blood and extreme pain. It was too much for the boy to take.

He didn't move as another dart struck him on the back, and it was black-out.

Instantly.

A grey haired man stepped into view, his exposed eye blinking.

He leaned down, sadness slowly brimming in him, and picked up the hunter that was lying on the ground.

-

Naruto touched the clean bandage on Sakura's neck, and laid her on the bed gently, his blue eyes reflecting the nightlight that was standing on Sakura's bedside table.

He stole another glance at her, his heart beating hard, and turned to the window.

His feet touched the pane and lifted off.

-

**Author: YES! The next chapter—finished! Now I can return to studying… **

**(Coughs) Okay, no… I don't want to go back to math! NOOO! **

**(Thinks) I'll continue to gather up more ideas for the next update… Till then… **

**THANKS TO ALL READERS! **

**Oh, and one more thing… Does anyone go to Deviant art? Please take a look at my drawings if you do! My account is SaraKrista. (Those people who use deviantart will know what to do... That's because i don't know how to insert links here...)**


	29. Turning

Sasuke woke up with a start, perspiration dripping down his face, his chest heaving, and eyes wide open.

_**A bad dream **_

_**A nightmare **_

_**Not reality **_

_**I won't face it **_

_**You can't make me **_

_**I will escape **_

_**Escape from it all **_

_**I cannot **_

_**I can't **_

_**It is too cruel for me **_

_**I am weak **_

_**I had needed—always, for someone to depend on **_

_**And now **_

_**I will prove that I don't need you **_

_**By escaping alone **_

_**Foolish, naïve, selfish as it seems **_

_**Does it really matter? **_

_**Do you even care about what I think? **_

He looked at his clothing and hands. No blood.

He rubbed his face. No blood either.

Somehow, a little surge of hope came bursting from within him, like a seep of water coming through a crack of a rock—by some miracle.

It has to be a miracle. It _has _to be. He can't be becoming a vampire. Not possible.

He looked around the room, laughing softly to himself—and felt shooting pain through his gums.

The hunter's first thought was **_fangs. _**But then it occurred to him that he could probably be suffering from toothache, or the growth of new teeth. No problem.

He got up, his eyes still scanning the room—**_his _**room. Then the two black irises traveled over to the small, similarly black—alarm clock on the desk.

Nine am in the morning. How long had he slept? Normally, he'd be up at around five to do training. After that, it'd be breakfast and school at seven.

_There's no school today. _The familiar, grudging voice nagged at him. His inner demons. But again, everyone had their own inner demons.

Something else _was nagging _at him. Sasuke chose to push it away, ignore it.

He got up and took a few steps, feeling strangely wobbly.

The mirror.

Sasuke stopped.

There was no reflection.

"_**Listen, Sasuke… You'll know for sure when you're turning into a vampire… All you have to do is to look in the mirror…" **_

"No." He whispered, backing away. Still no reflection.

He reached out a hand and smashed the mirror into pieces.

"REFLECT ME! DAMN YOU! REFLECT ME!"

"REFLECT ME!"

His heart was pounding in his chest—the same feeling that he'd experienced yesterday--

"…Will you stop thrashing up your own room?"

"!"

Sasuke swallowed, falling on the floor, but facing the other person who had just come into the room.

-

Sakura woke up with a shooting pain across her neck.

"…What's this bandage?"

She sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes, and stretched.

"Ow!"

There was pain in her left arm, as well.

She stood up and went to the bathroom.

"When did I get home…? I don't remember…"

An image of a house loomed in her head, but that thought vanished just as quickly as it had come.

Sakura groaned. "My head hurts…"

Her hand went to the bandage, undoing it.

-

Kiba, Temari and Shikamaru sat in a circle, facing one another with solemn faces.

"So… What are you going to do about this? Temari? Kiba?" Shikamaru asked.

"In theory, we should just stake him before he turns into a full-fledged vampire." Kiba suggested, stroking Akamaru on the head.

"I refuse." Temari said weakly.

The two boys glared at her, and Shikamaru's glare was stronger than the other.

"We don't have to right to stake him." Temari stammered, looking at her hands.

"We're vampire hunters." Kiba answered. "Of course we have the right."

"He should be given a chance to survive. We can… We can try feeding him food from other sources."

"History has shown that _it won't work_."

"I"-

"Do you want him to end up like your brother, Temari?" Kiba cut in hotly.

That sentence lighted the fire which has been slowly diminishing in the female hunter ever since Gaara's death.

Temari stood to her feet, rays of fury emitting from her.

Kiba stood up as well.

"Quit it, people." Shikamaru started.

Kiba growled. "Is this what you want? A fight?"

Temari didn't reply, both her hands instead reaching for her fan.

"**Let Kakashi deal with this. You guys don't interfere." **

The three hunters spun around. Kiba smirked.

"Oh, isn't that the buggy guy?"

-

"Kaka-Kakashi…"

"Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi said, running a hand through his grey hair, and reached out a hand.

Sasuke looked at the hand, and backed away, trembling.

"GET OUT!" He yelled.

Kakashi continued to walk. "What's wrong?"

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you? I can smell _holy water _in your hands, so back off."

"Why are you so scared?" Kakashi challenged.

"Just shut up."

"Are you a vampire now?"

"SHUT UP!"

Sasuke took a chair and flung it towards his teacher.

Kakashi didn't dodge, but he caught the chair and placed it nicely back to where it had been. Sasuke looked both disgusted and shocked.

"You are still as freaking accurate, aren't you?" He spat, his eyes watching those gloved hands.

Kakashi casually stood at the window, and his student glared.

"I know what you're thinking." The man said, crossing his arms. "You _are not_ going out through the window."

Sasuke's bloodshot eyes widened at that, and then he closed them.

He threw back his head and laughed.

"Well, kill me."

Kakashi did not join in the laughter. His exposed eye looked on sadly, and he tucked his hands into his pockets.

-

Sakura blinked.

"Huh?"

There were no visible signs of injury on her neck, but there was a dull pain trailing along the right side of her neck. And her left arm still hurt.

She rolled up her sleeves. There was a reddish mark on her arm.

In fact, several reddish marks.

"…Mosquitoes?" She said awkwardly.

It wasn't. The marks didn't itch.

-

Neji woke up to sound of Naruto yelling.

"Naruto?"

He got up from his bed and went to the other vampire's room. "What's up with…"

Neji halted.

Naruto was yelling his head off, clutching his stomach, and he seemed to be steaming.

The boy ran to the blonde and pulled his arms away with force enough to break a solid table.

That was how strong vampires are.

Neji, with his other hand, lifted up Naruto's shirt.

On Naruto's stomach, there were marks of the _monster_—those infamous seal marks.

The _seal marks of the very first vampire. _

_The **monster. **_

The marks were fading.

Neji gritted his teeth, focused his eyes at the mark, and did a hand seal.

He slammed his palm into Naruto's stomach, and the blonde vampire coughed suddenly.

The other vampire looked up just in time to have a mouthful of blood splatter his face. Naruto had vomited.

"YUCK!"

The long-haired boy stepped back, wiping his face furiously with his bandaged hands.

The blonde boy vomited a second time, and a pool of blood fell onto the floor. It was not a pretty sight.

Naruto heaved, and stiffened. Then he fell, his face pale.

Neji caught him before his accomplice cracked his nose on the floor.

"Why are the First's marks disappearing?" The conscious boy muttered, looking down at the unconscious one.

-

**Author: …This chapter is kind of confusing, isn't it… (Continues to brainstorm)**


	30. Feed

**Author: I'm sorry if I did a bad job on the previous chapter… (Falls into depression) My exams are coming… I have art projects on hold, I'm struggling in Photoshop… (Screams head off) **

**Uh… Sorry. A little on edge here… Coffee…! (Grabs for coffee mug) **

**- **

The 'buggy guy' that Kiba had mentioned was a peculiar character.

He was a tall guy with sunglasses, a high-collar coat, scandals, and brown hair that stood up in 'gentle' spikes—not like that of Naruto's, though.

The boy's name was _Shino._ According to the database that Temari currently wields, there is no other type of hunter families that uses _insects _to combat vampires, except Shino's.

Stakes, holy water, and magic are not respected or favored by Shino's traditional family. They believe in using the forces of nature to locate and kill vampires—and that came to using a certain bug which fed on blood.

The bugs occupy the hunter's body. In return, the bugs do not feed on the host, and work for him.

But enough of that. Let's get back to the story.

-

Shino adjusted his trademark sunglasses and placed a firm hand on Kiba.

"_Sit down._" He whispered.

Kiba glared, but he obeyed.

Temari fell onto the couch, her eyes blank.

"Kakashi is one of the best hunters in the region. He will know what to do." Shikamaru said in a neutral tone. "What brings you here, anyway?" He glanced at Shino.

"My bugs sensed something big coming up, and they led me here." The boy said smoothly and quietly. Shino didn't like noise or speaking in loud tones. "It seems that one of us is converting, am I right?"

Kiba grunted. "No need for you to be so long-winded. You should know, obviously." He sniffed the air and slapped one hand over his nose.

"I hate the smell of bugs…"

Shino sat down on the couch comfortably. "Blood-sucking ones. Of course, not many people accept _our _way of slaying vampires, but we get the job done all the same."

"Those bugs are vampires themselves." Kiba retorted. "They suck the blood of _vampires._ They suck the blood of everything."

Shino did not respond to that.

Then yelling came from Sasuke's room and echoed around the hall, making everyone jump to their feet.

-

"I feel sick… Like one part of me is… detaching itself from… my body…"

Neji supported his chin with his hands, his eyes narrowed upon hearing Naruto's shaky sentence.

The blonde vampire was lying on his blood-stained bed sheets, his face flushed and hot.

"I can't believe… this." He groaned, putting one hand on his forehead. "I'm having a fever…"

Neji glanced at the blood pool near his feet him. "Here goes your dinner yesterday, huh?"

"I didn't take _that much _blood." Naruto coughed. "I- I think—most of it is my blood."

Sliver eyes blinked.

"Yeah. I smell it. What did you exactly _do _yesterday?"

Naruto's face, if possible, turned even redder and hotter than it was.

"_That girl's_ blood." Neji said instantly.

"I- I sucked Sakura's blood. So?"

"You did something more, didn't you?"

"I didn't."

"Really? If you don't tell me what you did, you'll die, you know."

That dissolved Naruto's sheepish look pretty fast.

"I…I..." Naruto stuttered.

Silver eyes reflected the nervousness that was in the blonde boy, making him even more nervous than he was.

Neji stood up, pulled his friend up roughly.

"You fed her your blood?" He said in a dangerous tone.

Naruto looked away.

"That's what _we _do when we find our eternal partners. Are you planning to marry her or something? You're a tad young for that."

"Even so, I- I don't see why I'm vomiting like this." Naruto tried to pry Neji's arm from his collar.

"Gods." Neji slapped his head in frustration. "Dad's not going to like this."

-

Sakura choked and threw up her breakfast.

"I'm… sick…" She groaned, holding her head. "Mom… Dad…"

Her parents won't be there. They're working.

Always working.

She couldn't count on her parents. They were never there.  
They _are _never there.

Picking up a fifty dollar bill from the kitchen counter, Sakura coughed and pulled on a sweater.

"Doctor." She muttered, and opened the door.

-

There were stakes all over the room.

Sasuke stood in a corner, panting, his eyes fixed on his teacher.

Kakashi stood on the spot, unmoving.

Then another stake shot towards his student, and _this time_ it worked.

The boy fell to his knees, yelling and screaming in agony as the holy water in the stake started to spread into the wound, making it burn—like acid.

"Why? Don't you want to die?" Kakashi said calmly, watching his student writhe on the floor.

Sasuke closed his eyes, his teeth gritted to prevent more yells from coming out.

_Stake vampires… _

It was his duty. Killing himself is the way to go.

He had to.

_No. _

**_I don't want to die. _**

Sasuke, his eyes still closed, began to gasp as blood flowed freely from the wound.

His fangs were growing again. But this time, it didn't hurt. His mouth seemed to be numb.

And he could taste blood in his mouth as both fangs pierced through his gums.

**_I don't want to die. _**

Sasuke saw Itachi in his hazy vision, and hate overpowered him in an instant.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

A shaking hand ripped the hateful stake from a bleeding arm and threw it at Kakashi.

Kakashi dodged, and threw the windows open, flooding light into the room.

"…!"

Sasuke stood, dazed.

**_Itachi was disappearing. He was going out the window, with that haunting look of his… _**

_"Your parents are dead…" _

He would not die. He will kill Itachi. That had been his aim for so very long…

_Why had he forgotten it? _

With that, Sasuke closed his eyes and fell onto the bed, losing consciousness.

-

Temari stormed out of the room, unable to take it anymore. Sasuke's screams were very much like Gaara's…

Too alike for her to take.

So she'd taken a walk on the street, and spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

Pink hair. Green eyes.

That girl. And she didn't look like herself…

"Do I care?" Temari muttered, holding up her head high and intending to walk past her in a huff.

Then she noticed something weird.

Her hunter skills tingling, she grabbed the girl by the arm, and saw, in horror, the spots on her arms.

"L-Let go of me…" Sakura whimpered, clutching her chest.

Without another word, Temari abandoned any thoughts she had, and marched the girl back to the mansion.

-

_"I'm… not a monster…" _

**_"Kid?" _**

_A blonde boy looked up, his teary blue eyes blinking furiously. _

_It was a man. A tanned young man with a scar across his face. _

_A brown ponytail. _

_A rough, tanned hand reached out. _

_Naruto blinked again, recoiling. _

_The man put his hand on the blonde's hand. _

_"I'm not going to hurt you." _

_The little boy winced, his eyes on the bruises on his hands. _

_"They hit you, boy? Did you do something bad?" The man asked softly. _

_Naruto looked up at that. _

_"Naruto didn't do anything bad. Naruto didn't." _

_The man's eyes widened at the sound of Naruto talking in third person. _

_"They said that… Naruto was a monster. But Naruto isn't a monster"—The boy choked, and started to cry again. _

_The man held Naruto high up, alarming the sobbing kid. _

_Naruto looked at the surroundings with his tear-filled eyes. _

_"Now take a look at the field you're on." The man said, letting Naruto sit on his shoulders. "Isn't it pretty?" _

_And the boy saw the flowers, the sky, the castle where he lived, and green space all around. _

_"It is your space." The man continued. _

_Naruto smiled, relaxing. This man is a good person. _

-


	31. Flashback I

Naruto stared at the steaming bowl of noodles before him.

"Come on, eat up!" The man said in a muffled voice, his mouth half filled with noodles.

The boy looked at the man, and the two wooden sticks placed on the table.

"What do I do with these sticks?" He asked, picking them each by a hand.

The man choked.

"S-Sir!" Naruto gasped as the man beside him started coughing and beating his chest with one rough hand.

Brown eyes looked at blue ones, alight with amusement.

"Don't call me sir. I'm Iruka."

"I-Iru?"

"Iruka."

"Iruka." Naruto repeated.

"Correct." Iruka took a deep breath and held up the chopsticks.

"You hold them like this." He said, smiling.

"Naruto holds them like this." The blonde kid repeated again, mimicking the man's actions.

"Hmm." Iruka observed the boy. " Say _I._Not _Naruto_."

"I-I. I hold them like this." Naruto said doubtfully.

Iruka laughed and continued eating his noodles, choking again when Naruto yelled "HOT!"

-

"You're… a hunter?" Naruto asked, his legs swinging freely.

"Yes." Iruka nodded, swinging his own legs as well. The pair was sitting on an old wall, the sky was a lovely blue, and a light breeze was blowing towards their direction.

"What does Iruka do?" The boy asked eagerly.

"I hunt down vampires."

"Vampires?"

"Yeah. Vampires are creatures that suck blood."  
Naruto froze.

"?" Iruka looked at the boy, tilting his head in puzzlement.

"Naruto… Naruto sucks blood." The boy said softly.

"Say _I_." Iruka said. His tone had not changed.

Naruto looked up at him, shocked.

"Naruto—Um, _I _am a vampire?" He asked.

Iruka ruffled the boy's spiked hair. "Don't worry." He grinned. "I hunt down _bad _vampires. Naruto's a good boy."

The boy's features lightened up immediately.

-

**Someone who could accept **

**Someone who could listen **

**Someone who could tolerate **

**Someone who could understand **

**Someone… **

**Anyone… **

"Where do you get your food, Naruto?" Iruka asked, sitting comfortably on an old couch.

The inside of the castle had a musty smell and was littered with cobwebs. Nevertheless, that was where Naruto lived.

"They send blood to me!" Naruto said, smiling. Every morning there's a bottle filled with it outside the door!"

"Who?" Iruka said, but there was an obvious strain in his voice. The innocent boy did not notice—he had always been alone and had not much experience in human interaction or whatsoever. The only interaction he had was being insulted, being beaten, and being escaped from.

"I don't know." Naruto responded sadly.

"But can't you _smell_ them?" Iruka asked, his hands clutched tightly together.

Naruto scratched his head. "I did try to stay up to find out, but I always fall asleep… But I _do know_ their smell."

Iruka stood up suddenly, and Naruto tensed.

"Say, boy. Wanna learn great stuff?"

-

It had been weeks, and Naruto had learnt how to make use of his vampire abilities to his advantage, thanks to Iruka's teachings. He'd also known how destructive the weapons "hunters" use can be. Iruka visited him in the mornings and afternoons, but he'd be gone in the evenings.

He always looked forward to mornings. It was strange. Vampires liked the night. But this particular one was active during the day.

"Iruka."

"Huh?"

"… Why do… people say… that I'm a monster?"

"Hm." Iruka scratched his cheek. "Because sucking blood is weird to normal human beings. They don't do that. _I _don't do that."  
"Then you… you find me weird… right?"

"If you're weird, I'd run far away from you already. Be more confident, kid!" Iruka slapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder, sending him spinning around comically because of the enormous amount of pressure exerted.

"OW! YOU USED TOO MUCH FORCE!"

"Ha-ha, sorry!"

-

"Hello there, kid."

Naruto spun around. _That _smell.

It was a boy around his own age, but he had silver eyes and long hair that fell to his knees.

He was sitting on the old wall.

The full moon was bright, lighting up the inky-black sky with an eerie yellow light that was reflected in both Naruto's and the boy's pupils.

Naruto swallowed, a sudden unidentifiable feeling swelling up in him.

"Y-You're the one who sends me blood every night?" He whispered uncertainly, clutching his hands tight.

The boy cocked his head. "Yep." He smiled, revealing white fangs.

Naruto took one step back. He had never interacted with another vampire. The figure in front of him looked…

Scary.

_Do I look like that? _

_Is that the reason why people hate me so much? _

The boy seemed to read his thoughts. "No. It's not because of how you look." He laughed. "Though blonde haired people are pretty uncommon in this region."

Naruto did not respond to that.

The boy leapt down from the wall gracefully, his hair trailing behind him in a long, black ponytail.

"Do you want to know why?" He whispered, leaning close to Naruto.

Naruto didn't move. He blinked, bit his lip, and nodded.

The vampire smiled again.

"It is because you are a monster."

-

Iruka wiped the blood from his face, panting as he faced a certain grey-haired man angrily.

"WILL YOU HELP, IDIOT!"

"Don't call me idiot. I'm your senior." The man raised his eyebrow, offended.

"Just stop reading your stupid book." Iruka snapped.

"I can't. I'm at the last chapter."

Iruka dodged a claw attack and whacked the vampire away with a bloody fist.

"KAKASHI!" He boomed.

"Oh, all right. I can settle this in three minutes. I just want to let you train, you know?"  
"EXCUSES!"

Kakashi took out five stakes from his pocket, his eye turning quite different.

"Watch."

-

**_The next day _**

Iruka trudged tiredly to the castle. His limbs were aching.

"Damn that Kakashi. If he'd started fighting earlier instead of letting me do all the work…" He groaned, slapping his arm lightly.

The hunter reached the front door. It wasn't open. Strange.

"Naruto? Naruto!" Iruka asked, knocking on the door.

There was no response. It was weird. Perhaps the boy was sleeping?

No. He only slept in the nights.

_But Naruto is **a vampire** after all… _

"Hmm. Maybe I'll visit in the evening…" He turned and halted.

A boy. Long hair. Silver eyes.

"Hello." The boy grinned.

"You're of a special ability type, huh?" Iruka said, crossing his arms, but his facial features were relaxed. "From that clan."

"Oh, really? How did you know?" The boy asked innocently.

"Those silver eyes can be recognized anywhere."

Iruka's smile disappeared, and the classic hunter gaze appeared in his eyes.

"Why are you here?"

"Why can't I be here?"

"So you know Naruto?" He inquired, ignoring the insolent look that was manifesting in the boy's face.

"Yes." The boy's tone was starting to get haughty as well. "I know him."

Iruka looked in the direction of the castle. "What's up with him, then?"  
"He's having… a little shock." The boy said simply, and a fist reached out.

Iruka ducked. "No need for violence here."

The boy rubbed his knuckles, silver orbs glinting. "I happen to be quite _hungry_…"

"Oops." Iruka said casually. "But I thought I'd just taken a shower."

"The smell of blood is strong." The boy cocked his head, smiling like what a little boy would after getting his Christmas present. Then his grin went wider, and in it was not the innocence nor the purity, but greed.

"Die."

He went forward Iruka at an incredible speed, causing the hunter to dodge again.

-

_"There's a monster inside you… The First." _

Naruto groaned, covering his ears with his hands, and his eyes closed in agony…

_"We sealed him inside you. You're a container for the First Vampire. Such an honor, isn't it?" _

"Why?" Naruto muttered. "Why me?"

"I… I'm just not any vampire… Iruka was wrong…"

_"Don't look so sad. We send you free blood every night." The silver eyed boy said mockingly, patting him on the back. _

"Why must you tell me all this?"

**_"You're a good boy, Naruto…" _**

**_"You're a monster"— _**

-

_"My name's Neji. Care to join us?" _

_Naruto stopped. "What?" _

_"My dad decided that it was time to stop feeding you free blood and teach you how to suck blood. Don't worry; we'll all welcome you…" _

_Naruto shook his head violently. "No." _

_"Blood doesn't come cheap." _

_"Go away. Please." _

_Neji looked at those pitiful blue eyes, and decided to stop tormenting the brat. _

_"You're suffered enough… haven't you?" _

-

A red and orange aura started seeping out from the blonde. A gust of wind began to blow hard.

"I'm a monster…"

"I'm a monster…"  
"I have the First inside me…"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"ARRRGGGH!"

-

Neji and Iruka stopped the fight when a terrible tremor shook the ground.

Iruka was fuming, and he grabbed the vampire by the collar.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO NARUTO?"

Neji did not resist. He blinked.

"I told him the truth."

**Author: I've created a new fanart on Naruto (based on this fanfic) in my deivantart account! Please do take a look… It's my most recent art. (Voice trails off) Sakura may be a disappointing though… She looks like a clown with those eyes… **

**Heh… I'll be creating more art based on my fanfic (This fanfic!) as well! My deviantart account is listed at my account page! **


	32. Flashback II

**_He was floating. He was floating in a dark, vast space that belonged to nobody. _**

**_He belonged to nobody. _**

**_Children will one day grow up and want their freedom. They will declare that they belong to their parents no more. _**

**_Well, he thought that was stupid. He didn't even have any parents to begin with. Those brats never did realize how damn lucky they were. _**

**_He wanted to belong to somebody. _**

**_Anybody. _**

**_He just didn't want to be alone. _**

-

Ancient bricks started popping out of the castle dangerously.

Iruka being in an open space, had nowhere to dash for cover as he covered his head with his hands. He wanted to get to Naruto.

" Moron." Neji muttered from behind him. "You'll die."

"Shut up."

"…This castle is ruined."

Orange spirals of air swirled all around the dark rooms of the falling castle. Everywhere was in a mess.

"NARUTO!" Iruka yelled to the crouching blonde in a corner. "NARUTO!"

"Huh?" Naruto turned around, his eyes blue and teary.

Iruka sighed. Naruto was still Naruto. He hadn't been influenced by the First yet.

"Let's get out of here." He said, holding out his hand. "Come on."

The boy nodded.

-

**_He closed his eyes, letting himself float freely within that dark space. He won't feel hunger. He won't feel fatigue. He won't feel anything. _**

**_He wasn't human. _**

**_And so he asks, _**

**_"Will I continue on floating forever?" _**

**_"Where shall I go from here?" _**

**_After that he thought, and decided, _**

**_"I have all the time in the world." _**

**_No one would be here. No one was ever here. _**

**- **

"I really am a monster, Iruka. That boy told me."

Iruka looked at the boy. He was crying, and yet he seemed expressionless.

"I killed those villagers."

"Correction. That monster inside you killed those villagers. It has been murdering people for centuries."

Naruto looked up.

"Why is it inside me? Why me? Are my parents monsters too?"

Iruka picked the boy up.

"No." He said roughly, hugging the now sobbing blonde close.

-

**(At Iruka's and Kakashi's shared flat)**

Naruto looked at the gray-haired hunter in front of him. The man looked rather peculiar. A mask and one eye.

"Are you a pirate?" He inquired curiously.

Kakashi coughed and started laughing. "No."

"Won't you get too warm wearing stuff like that?"

"Nope. I'm used to it."

Naruto blinked and turned to the tanned hunter, who was laughing his head off at the pirate remark. "Iruka?"

"It's really not that funny." Kakashi said lazily, taking out his orange book. He was, however, smiling underneath his mask.

-

**_He was startled by a 'bump'. _**

**_"I hit a house." He said plainly, rubbing his foot, and his eyes widening in amazement. _**

**_And it really was a house. A plain house, with a lighted room. He could see the light through the window. _**

**_"This is something different." _**

**_He opened the door and went in. _**

-

Naruto looked at the stake in his hands.

"This can kill vampires." He said, turning it.

"Yes." Iruka said, adjusting a bottle on his belt.

The little vampire stared at it, his hands trembling.

"The First is a vampire… So can I kill it with this?" He whispered.

"What?" Iruka didn't catch his words.

Naruto cocked his head, smiling upon hearing his guardian's voice. "My seal is located at my stomach?" He asked innocently, patting his shirt.  
"Yep…" Iruka said carelessly, putting a stake into his backpack.

"… Have a good day at work." Naruto said, holding out his hand and still smiling, the stake stowed away in his pocket.

-

"Iruka." Kakashi said as the door closed. "Something horrible happened."

"What?" Iruka said, looking at the window worriedly.

"Naruto will be okay." Kakashi said urgently. "_That_ clan has been wiped out. Itachi's clan."

"By vampires? Surely not."

"Itachi wiped them out."

Iruka stopped, shocked. "You're joking. Why? He wiped out his own clan?"

"We're going to the scene with the others to check it out. Now let's go."

-

Naruto had observed how hunters get rid of vampires.

By sticking a stake into them. And POOF! Ashes.

He took a stake and aimed it at his stomach. "I don't want to be a monster."

_"…That thing is dangerous." _

Naruto dropped the stake, turning sharply at the window.

"Hello."

Neji looked disgusted. "You can live in this dump? The whole place stinks of holy water."

"It doesn't stink."

Neji went into the room, holding a hand over his nose.

"Come with me."

"No."

The other vampire raised an eyebrow.

"You don't want to be a monster, do you? I can help you."

"Liar."

"I told you about the First being inside you, _by the way_."

Naruto stopped, glancing at the stake on the floor.

"You go first. I follow."

Neji turned. "Fine."

A hand picked up the stake on the floor before the pair was gone in a gust of wind.

-

The used-to-be-purely-innocent-and-cute dark-haired boy didn't look very cute with blood and bite marks on his neck. He had blood all over his overalls. And his expression was the worst of all.

"GO AWAY!" Sasuke yelled, clutching the sliver stake hard in his hand. "STAY AWAY FROM THAT BLOODY HOUSE!"

The house was, literally, bloody.

"Hold on, kid. You're okay."

"STAY AWAY FROM MY HOUSE!"

"Why aren't you at your house, then?" Kakashi asked. Tear-filled eyes turned to glare at him.

"Because it's disgusting. But I forbid you to go any closer. I'll kill you."

"Where are your parents?"

"I'll kill you."

"Where is Itachi?"

Sasuke threw the stake directly at Kakashi's masked face.

"SHUT UP!"

A woman went behind him and knocked him gently on the shoulder. Sasuke's eyes turned blank and closed.

"_Kakashi_." The woman growled warningly.

Kakashi blinked and looked at the kid. "He's been bitten by a special. We'll have to do something to slow down the vampirism effects. The _slow seal, _I think."

The slow seal, as subtly mentioned in the earlier chapters, are done to people who have fallen prey to specials. It has the ability to slow down the vampire effects on the person, but it also depends on the individual's willpower.

"Of course. I got my wolves to search the house." The woman wiped her forehead. Her face had two identical red marks on it.

-

**_He looked inside the house. It was rather strange to him. _**

**_He had been exposed to dark too long a time, he supposed. It was all white here. Startling white. _**

**_Then it suddenly turned dim. It was a pleasant shade, however. He looked around, and suddenly hoped that someone was there. _**

**_But it wasn't possible. It was only that dark space and him… _**

**_Nope. If that dark space was really empty, and open to him alone, there wouldn't be this house. _**

**_Something seemed to click. He was hopeful. It could true after all. And thus he started to walk, to call, to search. _**

**_"Someone." _**

-

"Why are you so interested in me?" Naruto blurted as he gulped down the bottle of blood hungrily. He hadn't been feeding for a day, and was famished.

"My family sealed the First in you." Neji said, watching his companion slurp down the red liquid messily. "But you're not a vampire by birth."

Naruto stopped, blinking, his eyes crestfallen. "I don't understand."

"The sealing of the First in you made you a vampire. But if you are rid of the First in you, you will be a normal human." Neji explained quietly, looking down at his hands.

Naruto shook his head, frowning. "That won't do. I don't understand." He repeated.

Silver eyes blinked in amusement.

"Never mind that." He got up and squinted. "Do you really like the sun so much? It's… really…detestable."

"…" The blonde pre-teen took out the stake from his pocket and viewed it.

"That's dangerous, kid." Neji said quickly, backing a step away from him upon sighting the piece of metal.

"You don't look older than me at all. So you're a kid too." Naruto protested.

"And you haven't told me about me not becoming a monster."

Neji looked at him and sighed.

"You're… not a monster. If you want to believe that you are, then you are."

Naruto put the bottle gently on the ground before speaking.

"You're not helping me at all. Now I have an idea… I'm going to stake this thing and"—

He rose up the stolen stake once again, his sentence discontinued.

"Idiot!" The other boy snarled fiercely. "Do you have a death wish? What will happen if that precious hunter-guardian of yours stick a stake through himself?"

**_Precious hunter –guardian? _**Naruto blinked.

"O-Of course he'll die." The bewildered boy said, and covered his mouth just as immediately.

"Correct." Neji squinted and groaned. "I can't stand that bright light anymore." He stood up and was gone.

**Author: I'm sorry if this chapter was so longwinded… But the flashback will maybe last about another half chapter and well… -- Sorry again. **


	33. Flashback III

"Now that all the manual work is done…" Kakashi wiped the blood off his fingers.

"Where is he going to go?"

Sasuke was still knocked out, and lying in a corner with two guarding wolves.

"Mrs. Kiba?" Iruka turned to the woman who had two marks on her face.

"I could adopt him." She responded.

"These people… died horribly." Another man said quietly, looking around at the blood stained room.

"Insect-maniac, of course they did." Yet another dark-haired man with startling green eyes went. "Are you going to adopt him, then?"

"No. Our bugs won't accept anyone that is not of our family blood."

"… Then how about you?" Kakashi asked, patting his hands. "You have a daughter named Sakura, don't you?"

The man's green eyes lit up even brighter at the sound of his daughter's name. "My wife's with her right now… We have to accompany her as much as possible… In the future…" He looked down at the ground. "In the future… We won't have the chance to." He took a deep breath. "Anyway, I could adopt that kid if no one else wants... Ah"—His voice trailed off and continued again. "Sakura needs someone to play with her. My poor baby is all alone…The only child… She's lonely…" He clasped his hands together and his eyes started to burn with passion for his **one and only** daughter.

**SILENCE **

Everyone in the room sweatdropped and hurriedly started to pretend that they were doing something.

-

Naruto sat down, his eyes blank.

"Iruka…" He said dully. Iruka was the only person that he was close to, and the name that he muttered the most often.

The sky had turned suddenly dark over a span of twenty minutes. Rain was coming. And then it did. The blonde kid stared at up the drizzle, then the downpour. And yet he stayed put, not going for shelter or bothering to cover himself up to avoid being drenched.

"The First." A voice whispered. Naruto turned, his eyes still a dull blue.

A figure stood amidst the grayish scenery. Very nice combination of colors. Black and gray. Doom and gloom.

He smelled of blood.

"Come with me, child." He said, his red eyes flashing, and with a rather soft-looking, feminine hand extended.

"Who are you?"

Red eyes flashed again and turned black. Normal, humane looking eyes.

"My name is Itachi."

-

_**He stopped, panting. He found someone! **_

_**There, sitting in a corner, with arms wide open and smiling. **_

_**He ran into the person's embrace and closed his eyes. **_

_**It was warm and nice. **_

_**Warmth began to overwhelm him. **_

_**"Someone… What is your name?" **_

-

"NARUTO! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Naruto spun around, his eyes wide. Iruka was there, holding his chest and panting for all he was worth. It was still raining, so his figure was rather blurred.

But it was Iruka, no less. The hunters had sensed the ex-hunter's presence and took off from the bloody scene.

Kakashi soon arrived, with Sasuke in his arms. "Murderer." He muttered in disgust, and threw an explosive stake at Itachi.

Itachi ducked it easily, his black eyes turning back into red.

"You went to the house, huh…" He said softly, patting his blood-stained cloak.

"How could you do this to your own brother?" Sakura's father yelled, coming into view as well. He skidded to a halt and ran towards Naruto, who was apparently stoned in his position.

Itachi ran—_glided _as well. And then there was a scream.

"ITACHI!"  
Sasuke was awake, and pushed Kakashi's arms away, landing on the slippery floor with a _thud._ He got up shakily, raindrops mingling with the fresh tears and hatred that now appeared on his face.

There was a flash of red.

In a few seconds, Naruto was being gripped up with a terrible force, Sakura's father and Sasuke thrown aback, and the flying of numerous stakes that caught Itachi on the side of his face.

Iruka dashed forward.

"WAIT, IRUKA!" Kakashi yelled, running after the other hunter.

"NARUTO!" Iruka, ignoring Kakashi's yells, and raised a silver gun.

"You're using the gun, now?" Itachi said in amusement, Naruto still in his left arm.

There were three shots.

Naruto screamed.

An orange swirl formed, knocking both Itachi and Iruka away.

"Quit it." The boy growled, glowing orange, and his canine teeth growing sharp. Rain was even being blown away as well, and blonde hair stood up straight on spikes.

There was no touch of blue, or whatever Naruto once was.

"…The First." Itachi said, glaring. He was shocked, though. _This plan has gone wary. _

Kakashi threw the yet-again unconscious Sasuke to Sakura's father and went after the clan murderer. No time to marvel at the orange-filled sight of the First.

"That seal is strong, and it won't break. It's just leaking." He yelled before going.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as orange consumed him, and let off an energy blast before anyone could do anything.

-

_**There was no answer to his question. He repeated his question again. **_

_**Still no answer. **_

_**He stopped, fear suddenly flooding him, and pushed the someone away. **_

_**"Why am I warming up to a stranger?" He questioned. "This is wrong. This is something entirely new." **_

_**"I don't want to be alone. But…" **_

_**He backed away. **_

_**"How do I know that you'll not harm me?" **_

_**There was a sudden loud noise that came out of nowhere. And he was standing in the darkness once again. Everything had disappeared. **_

_**"I am being stupid, not trusting anyone." He said to himself. "But maybe I should be alone instead." **_

_**"I am scared of being worried. I am scared of being hurt." **_

_**He turned away. **_

_**"I'd rather be alone." **_

**- **

Naruto awoke to see silver eyes looming before him, and jumped.

"Where am I?" He asked hastily, turning. "Where's…Iru…"

A sudden pain smeared through his head. "Wait. Iruka…That name…"

"Who's Iruka?"

He turned to the boy beside him. "Who are you?"

The boy smiled sadly. "Hello. I'm Neji."

-

"Is that really okay?"

"He needs to be with his own kind." Kakashi said tonelessly, looking at the tombstone before him.

Sakura's father turned to the gray stone, biting his lip and wincing at the pain at his bandaged arm. "That energy blast sure was a big one."

"It's raining again." Kakashi said suddenly, touching the new tombstone. "Naruto will be fine."

Sakura's father stood quietly as the other man started to break down.

"Iruka…"

-

**Author: Ah, if you're confused… I didn't make the scene very direct--(Okay, fine, I'm such a lousy writer…) But readers should understand what is happening…in this chapter anyway… AHH! (Hit by a cooking pan) I'm sorry! Exams are over and my brain is already fried! (Runs away screaming) **

**Uh… anyway. The next chapter will be posted up soon. I'm glad to have finished writing all these darn flashbacks. (Sweatdrops) Oops… **


	34. Vampire no more

**Author: I have to say this again—as I have mentioned in the earlier chapters, THIS FIC IS NOT AN ORIGINAL FIC. **

**The idea was taken from a comic called VAMPIRE KNIGHTS. (Some of the poems, the scenarios—for example about the _Specials_ and stuff like that in the various chapters and overall storyline.) **

**Thank you very much. **

-

Temari dragged Sakura into the room and slammed the door shut, her eyes narrowed.

Sakura didn't resist. Her eyes were dazed and she swayed unsteady back and forth.

The blonde girl turned to the other hunters.

"Bitten and Fed." She said simply.

Shikamaru looked at the girl, who didn't seem to be aware of her surroundings. A picture of a wilted flower instantly crept into his mind.

Shino placed a hand on her forehead. "I'll locate that blood-sucker in no time at all. The vampire sucked her blood and fed her his blood… Not an easy feat. Especially if she's human."

Temari made a face. "That vampire is definitely sick in the head."

-

Back to the vampire in question.

Neji was sitting down on the ground, shocked, as he witnessed Naruto's sudden transformation.

_You must be joking. It… This kind of stuff can't happen. It only happens in legends. _

Despite that, though, he slowly got off his knees and walked to the glowing figure in the corner.

Naruto was sitting on the floor, his eyes wide. Orange smoke was slowly disappearing from the room. Then it dissolved completely, and the space was bare again.

The blonde boy coughed weakly, clutching his stomach. In his hand clutched a small bottle that was vibrating terribly. Neji snatched the bottle form him, bit his thumb and drew the mark of the First on the bottle.

_That'll have to do. _

Naruto rubbed his eyes, colour returning to his face. He got up suddenly, startling Neji.

"W-What are you doing, idio—ARRGH!"

Two hands drew open the black curtains, making bright light flood into the room.

Naruto didn't flinch. His blue eyes stared at the light, and the surroundings outside of the transparent window. Pure, bright light was reflected directly into his eyes for the first time in the past few years. He stood, entranced, at the sight.

Neji winced, and hurriedly covered himself with bloodstained bed sheets.

But white lips curled up, smiling, from underneath them.

_"…He's…back to the person he once was…" _

-

Kakashi closed the door behind him and stood over Sakura, his eye tired.

"She's been fed blood from a vampire and bitten." He said immediately when he saw her face and the marks on her neck. "Hm." The other amateur hunters stood back to let the senior pass them, a look of respect and seriousness in their faces. Even Shikamaru wasn't normally yawning like he used to.

There was silence for a moment.

Kakashi took Sakura's arm and observed the red spots on it. Then he turned and grinned.

"I don't know what's happening, folks."

Another long pause.

"BUT YOU'RE THE SENIOR!" Kiba burst out, shocked.

Kakashi got up and faced Shino.

"Hunt down that vampire."

Shino turned, adjusting the sunglasses on his face.

-

_What happened… a long, long time ago… _

Sasuke was standing on a field, kicking a ball around aimlessly.

The question that he'd asked himself so many times was echoing in his head repeatedly, drumming into his skull, nagging at him, pestering him.

_Kill Itachi. Kill Itachi. Kill Itachi. _

Then onyx eyes opened, startled. It was a dream.

He sniffed and got up. He had been unconscious for a while.

New found vampire abilities were already taking effect on him. Sasuke could smell a familiar presence of a certain person in the house. _That person…_

He hosted his body off the bed with considerable effort, and got to the door. It was dark, and that idiot bright orb was hanging on the sky like a curse.

"Damn."

He walked to the room and tried to open the door. It was locked.

_I have to get in. _

Sasuke looked at his pale hands. They were trembling. But not _that _sort of trembling he'd normally experienced. He was trembling with _excitement. _

Even he was surprised with himself. He never got excited about anything.

Especially not now.

There was a sudden flash of red in the onyx eyes, and the doorknob was broken.

A dim room. A sleeping girl.

He recognized the girl instantly.

Sakura. What was she doing in the house?

An image of Naruto appeared in his mind, and he bristled. He walked briskly to the bed, and sat down beside her.

Sakura was breathing slowly, looking like a bride dead to the world in her slumber.

_A bride? Where did that come from? _

Sasuke watched, somehow entranced. He pulled open the bed sheet slowly, revealing her 'spotted' arm.

_I am going to kill him!_

Naruto had gotten to her before he did. And she was HIS property. He even fed her his blood. How sick was that?

Sasuke's head went bobbed forward unintentionally, still entranced. Then there was a sudden noise from the window still which caused him to snap backwards in shock.

It was wind. Sasuke shook his head. What was he thinking about?

His property? Sakura was his property?

Then realization set in him, and he felt like howling. He was a vampire. But fate had decided _that _wasn't quite enough for him.

He was, somehow, very attracted to Sakura's blood.

His vampire self. Almost to the point of being possessive.

-

Neji was back at **her** house again.

It was pathetic. He, a vampire from a well-known family, could actually be attracted to the likes of that girl.

Hinata was reading a book in her living room, too engrossed to notice the shadow lurking outside the window. Neji turned, leaping onto the rooftop.

"What do I do with this?" He muttered, looking at the bottle with the mark on the First. "I managed to seal the First in this bottle after he was forcibly repelled out of Naruto's body during the vomiting… But what had caused this? Does _that pink-haired girl's _blood cause anti-vampirism in vampires?"

Anti-vampirism in vampires? That was really a joke. A big joke. None of this sort could happen in real life. There wasn't even any fiction about it, for goodness's sake.

"Her blood probably repelled the First from Naruto's body, making Naruto a human…"

"Hmm. That sounds very interesting."

Neji didn't even bother to turn around at the source of the voice.

"A hunter and his mutt. How ridiculous."

Kiba was holding a stake, and Akamaru stood, his fur standing, ready for battle.

"Tell me about that." He said, his tone cool.

Neji pocketed the bottle. "It is really none of your business."

Kiba did not waste another minute on conversation. A stake went flying, nearly missing Neji's hand.

Silver eyes flashed angrily.

"Look, I'm getting pissed!"

Kiba grinned, holding an explosive stake. "That's exactly what I want, filthy blood sucker."

-

"What can I do now?"

Naruto looked around, feeling awkward. He spotted a girl walking around the street corner. His first impulse was to lunge and have a feast.

But he suddenly found blood repulsive. So he stayed put on the wall.

His speed wasn't as fantastic as before. He was now a _human._

"I've become a real person. A normal person…"

And happiness swelled up in him.

There was a boy walking down the road… He looked peculiar enough for the blonde boy to notice. _Sunglasses at night?_

The sunglasses guy suddenly looked up and leapt, landing next to Naruto. Naruto yelped in shock and nearly fell off the wall.

"You're human." The weird character said sharply. "Why?"

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, blinking in confusion.

"My name's Shino. I'll need you to come with me for a little while."

The ex-vampire noticed the insects on the boy's hand, and knew, almost instantly, that he was a part of a famous hunter organization that used insects to hunt down vampires.

Fear grew.

"Um…" Naruto edged away.

Shino tucked his hands deep into his pockets. "Don't worry. You are no longer a vampire." There was a slight chirping sound from his clothes. "My insects confirmed that."

-

**Author: I…I have a feeling some of the readers are not going to be happy about this chapter. Really sorry about that… (Beforehand.) **


	35. Coming back

"No… you can't leave…"

Sasuke stopped, his sensitive ears picking up the groans and moans from the sleeping girl on the bed.

"Geez." He bit his lip, turned back and placed his hands on Sakura's shoulders.

"Wake up, moron."

He shook her until she woke with a gasp.

"W…Where am I…?" Green eyes were flustered and confused as they scanned the environment. "Why are you here?"

"A vampire attacked you and fed you his blood." Sasuke said, his voice monotone. Mentally however, he was getting angry again. "It was the same vampire that attacked you before."

Sakura cringed. "Why did he feed me his blood?"

"Vampires feed one another their blood when they want to… get married." The vampire-cum-hunter was feeling extremely repelled at the thought of it.

_Click. _

There was a sudden flood of light in the room, making Sakura jump with shock. She hadn't noticed someone coming.

Sasuke didn't react to the light, but annoyance crossed his features.

Temari stood, her hands crossed.

Both hunters stared at one another silently. Then the boy's eyes widened.

"He's there…"

He ran out of the room, pushing away Temari as he did.

Sakura crawled out of bed weakly, and then the blonde girl walked over to hold her steady.

"Time to meet your attacker." Temari said.

-

Shino and Naruto were coming into the house when a figure dashed out and pinned Naruto on the ground.

"That was fast." Sunglasses flashed.

Sasuke growled, his pale hands curled around Naruto's neck. "_I'm going to kill you_."

The blonde boy choked, and hands tried to pry the vampire-hunter away, but to no avail.

_He's a vampire? _

Naruto coughed again, alarmed.

"Stop it, Sasuke." Shino said quietly.

The raven-haired boy didn't seem to hear his words, and Shino started to bring down a hand to strike.

_Whap. _

Sasuke held Shino's sleeved hand with his left hand, right hand still entangled around Naruto's throat.

"_I'm going to kill you!" _

"NO!"

Temari released Sakura as the pink-haired girl ran towards Naruto and Sasuke.  
"Stop it!"

She took Sasuke's hands in hers weakly and pulled them, wanting to dislodge his hands from Naruto's neck.

Naruto raised a leg to kick his attacker, and Sasuke ducked. The ploy worked, and the ex-vampire scrambled to his feet.

"He's not a vampire." Temari observed calmly.

Shino nodded, somewhat disturbed.

"Sasuke, no." Sakura held the boy from the back, stopping him from moving forwards.

The blonde boy looked at his once- before prey directly, blue eyes tense.

The girl looked away, green eyes filled with fear.

"He's the vampire that attacked you." Shino said, as though no one knew. "But he's no longer one."

"Sasuke, no." Sakura repeated, her grip on the vampire tightening. Sasuke felt her grip and stopped.

"Since he's not a vampire, we can't stake him. But we'd like to know why he converted back into a human." The insect-wielder continued. Temari nodded.

"That's fine with me." Sakura said dully. "I don't care."

"What do you mean, _I don't care? _You and he need to sort out differences. He fed you his blood, didn't he? I bet he has something to say." Temari pointed at the slowly blushing boy.

"I-I"- Naruto spluttered, holding up his hands. "I can explain, Sakura"—

Green eyes glittered dangerously. Sakura was on the verge of bursting into tears.

Temari and Shino dragged Sasuke out of the room before a high-pitched, female voice exploded.

"DID YOU KNOW HOW SCARED I WAS?"

Naruto flinched. "I…I… I can… I… understand…"

"You UNDERSTAND? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" Sakura screamed, trying to control the tears that were overflowing from her eyes.

Naruto took a step forwards, his arms open wide in a "what-can-I-do?" pose. "Sakura, calm"—

"_Don't come near me!"_ She shrieked.

The ex-vampire stopped, hurt.

Sakura glared at him and stomped out. Her angry sobs were heard loudly throughout the hall.

-

Hinata was startled by a bang on her rooftop. She dashed out of the house, spotting the two boys and a dog.

"You're!"—She gasped. "And you!" She turned her head towards Neji, who stopped in mid-air.

She felt someone behind her and turned. It was a masked man, showing only his hair and one eye.

"I'm sorry, we'll pay for all damages to your roof." Kakashi said. His visible eye turned in the direction of the boys in mid-combat.

"Time to end all this."

-

Sasuke stared at the ceiling. He was back in his room again.

_I tried to kill him. _

Sighing, he covered his face with an arm, closed his eyes, and tried to go to sleep. _I don't know what to do. _

**_Since you're so troubled, why don't you kill them? _**

_What? _

Sasuke sat upright, his frantic eyes reflected in the mirror.

The piece of glass wasn't what he thought he would be. In it was a dreadfully pale face, and with a touch of red in those irises…

"N-No." He stammered, and the red was gone.

Sasuke blinked, his hand trembling on the bed sheets. _No, I don't want to kill them. I don't want to kill anyone. I only slay vampires. _

**_"You're pathetic, little brother…" _**

"What?" The boy gasped. _Itachi! _

_NO! _

He clutched his head, his heart pounding. "Dammit! Dammit! Don't!"

-

Sakura threw the used tissue into a dustbin, her fists clenched.

"Sorry. I take it that you didn't wish to know your attacker at all?" Temari tried to be sympathetic.

"No." Green eyes looked up sharply. "Never mind about that. There's nothing anyone can do. But what's going to happen to me? Why do I have all… these… spots?" She looked at her arm.

"It's a reaction. But you'll be fine now, since Naruto is no longer a vampire. They'll fade."

"What if he still is a vampire? What'll happen to me then?"

Temari smiled sadly.

"You really don't want to know."

Then the hunter turned.

"They're back."

Neji burst in through the door, going straight towards Naruto.

"Why are you here?" He demanded.

Blue eyes stared back.

"Nothing."

Kiba snarled, and his dog did as well. "I want him dead." He said pointedly.

"No chance." Kakashi interrupted, holding the bottle with the mark of the First, which was starting to crack. "Shut up and take a seat. Is Sasuke still asleep?"

"He tried to attack him. Shino's guarding the door." Temari said, looking at her fellow blonde.

Naruto looked at the floor, crestfallen.

"Alright then." Kakashi held the shaking bottle tightly. "I'd expected you, Naruto. Tell me how the First was expelled from your body. You did a good job in sealing it temporarily, by the way." He turned towards Neji for acknowledgement.

"So you knew? Then it must be a good thing to have met this animal freak, I guess." Silver orbs stared insolently at a glowering Kiba.

"I-I"— The blonde boy in question looked fearfully at Sakura, who was not catching his gaze—"I drank her blood. Then I… I… threw up."

"You threw up?" Kakashi raised his eyebrow.

"And I saw the First oozing out. There was a lot of orange." Neji interrupted. "I sealed him. But you see, that bottle is cracking. It's not going to last. We need a living container."

"We couldn't get rid of it in the past. I searched for it. Your father was the one who sealed it. A noble vampire, he was." Kakashi smiled slightly.

"I thought vampire hunters should just wipe out bloodsuckers whenever they have the chance to. And yet you actually knew a vampire in person?" Kiba snapped.

"Kiba, shut up." Temari said, her eyes narrowed. She was getting annoyed with his childish temper.

"He was a different vampire. He hunted down his own kind, and he was of noble blood." Kakashi pointed out. "Anyway, we have to exorcize the First, and we're done." The grey-haired hunter gazed at both Neji and Naruto for a while. "We will have a talk later. Temari, come with me. I'd need your equipment."

Temari stood up. "Of course. What about her?" She was referring to Sakura, who was stoning.

"What about me?" Kiba said forcefully.

"You stay here with the three of them. Make sure that there's no bloodsucking. No killing. I'll be right back."

Both hunters left, leaving Kiba, his dog, one vampire, one ex-vampire, and the vampire victim in the room.

**Author: I am having my final year exams in three weeks, so I may not be updating… Thanks to everyone who'd reviewed! **


	36. Scare

**Author: Thanks to all readers who wished me good luck! I'll work hard for my exams! And I updated anyway. (Smiles) **

The only girl stared at her own knees, not looking up at either the ex-vampire or the hunter.

The blonde, distraught boy was trying to fight the instinct to walk over to the female and demand for forgiveness, which would be a stupid thing to do if he really did.

The vampire was staring daggers at the hunter, who was doing the same. The one who was neither human nor vampire in the room ran out, whining.

Kiba was unfazed by his escaping dog.

The silence went on about ten minutes.

**DONG. **

Sakura traced her knee with a finger, listening to the grandfather clock. _How long are they going to take? _Her tracing became more complex as her feelings started to build up into agitation, in addition to the churning feelings of shock, sadness, and anger that were already present. The once-cheerful girl then realized that she had been experiencing these kinds of unpredictable and negative feelings a lot recently.

Naruto was biting his lower lip. His feelings were similar to Sakura's, but the added element in his emotions was guilt and a sense of desperation. He wanted to be forgiven, but he knew she wouldn't. The thought of his loved one hating him for ever was starting to haunt and taunt him.

Neji and Kiba's feelings were rather obvious, and need no further explanation. Their sense of anger and dislike was evolving into hatred with every passing second.

The miracle that broke the tension in the room finally came in the form of a huge

**BANG! **

-

Kakashi wiped the sweat from his brow. Temari was coughing, her smoking fan in a corner.

Stakes and holy water were all over the place, and in the middle of the dim room was a circle.

"How did it go?" Shino was at the door, nodding at the smoking circle.

Kakashi managed an exhausted smile.

"Look at this." He pointed to now-glowing circle. "We killed it."

"The monster that was the first vampire…" Shino knelt down and saw ashes. They were charcoal black.

"What an unglamorous ending…"

The trio turned. Neji's eyes were unexpectedly bright.

**- **

Back to Sasuke. No, no more wailing, banging or screaming, like what he had been doing for the past few hours after realizing his new, unwanted identity.

Sasuke was sitting quietly in a corner, his hands covering his face.

It had been rather confusing. He desired Sakura, he knew. But yet it wasn't _him _who desired her.

Not the _still human _side of him, anyway.

The vampirism was taking over, and he couldn't stop himself at all.

_I hate myself. I don't want to think about blood. Yet I crave blood. _

His ideas were starting to overwhelm him. Sasuke touched the tip of his canine teeth with his tongue, now in a half-daze.

"…What am I going to do?"

He needed time to sort out his thoughts. He wanted to plan what he was going to do.

First things first. Was he going to be killed?

No. That wasn't possible. Kakashi or the others _may _want to kill him to end his misery—that will definitely a possibility, but Temari wanted to find a cure for humans who've turned into vampires, so he'd probably be part of her experiment. They'll need to keep him alive.

So what next? Was he going to escape?

There may be hope for him if he stays on. Temari is one brilliant girl. But how could she succeed in what generations have tried, and failed? And that **is** the case-- to succeed is almost an insult.

_No, that's not right. _

Temari had claimed that her grandfather had managed to succeed in finding the formula. But that formula was never made known, even to his sons. (Check Chapter 7)

There may be a ray of hope after all…?

"…Sasuke…?"

Sasuke kept silent, his nose picking up _her _scent. That troublesome woman! How did she find his room?

Sakura stood, pausing. Then she leaned against the door, her eyes looking at the delicate carved tiles which decorated the ground.

"Sasuke." She whispered. "Have you… Have you…" She swallowed nervously. "I know this is… may be a taboo topic to you but I… just felt…"

_She's whispering. _It wasn't a problem though. Sasuke walked to the closed door and leaned against it like what Sakura was doing, and listened.

Sakura took a deep breath and continued shakily. "You're… no longer… a human…?"

A pale hand slowly clenched into a fist. _How did she know?  
_On the other side of the room, the pink-haired girl was holding both of her hands tightly, as though it would provide some sort of stress-relief to her troubled words.

"I'm sorry… I just felt. You…You gave off that same…I don't know… aura as the vampire that attacked me." _Naruto, _she added mentally.

"I blamed you for… saying that Naruto was the vampire." She burst out. "I've apologized, but I'd like to apologize again. I'm sorry that I didn't believe you… and saying… all those nasty words."

Sasuke opened his mouth.

"I know you're going to say that you don't care!" Sakura shouted out loud, wincing slightly at the memory.

Her sentence stopped what Sasuke was going to say, which was, coincidentally what he had told her before—"I don't care."

"Even though I'm just a victim to you…ha-ha…" Sakura laughed weakly. "We don't even know each other that well… but… I'm… worried about you."

She grasped her hands tighter. "Though it seems sudden… but…I think… I've…"

Sakura felt the door opening and moved.

Sasuke stood, his eyes blank.

"I've become a vampire, Sakura." He said, his voice throaty, expecting her to gasp in shock and ran away. The further the better.

Sakura didn't. She stared at him, both-jade-coloured eyes blinking at him through the dim light.

"You won't. You still have your hunter job."

"What pride do I have left as hunter?" Sasuke laughed, though his laugh was not as weak as Sakura's. "I'll go mad. And then they'll kill me."

His onyx eyes narrowed. "No…" He hissed. "I won't let them."

The girl didn't move.

"Go away." He snarled. _I don't want to hurt you. _

The stubborn girl still didn't move.

"GO AWAY!" Fangs started to sprout out automatically. Sasuke wanted to scare her. Make her hate him.

_Go on. Make her hate you. _

He grabbed her shoulders roughly and pulled her towards him. "You're going to regret coming to me." He pushed away her hair and placed his mouth just next to her throat.

"You can't bite me. You won't do it." Sakura said, not fighting him. Instead, she placed her arms around his shaking shoulders.

"Because you're Sasuke."

-


	37. Changed

Naruto blinked as he walked into the room.

He could _hear. _

That gagging, screaming, wailing sound… _Why isn't anyone else noticing it?_

He couldn't tell who was screaming. There were too many. Women mostly.

No, something else entirely was haunting him.

He could hear the numerous, high-pitched screams of…

…_**Children…**_

_Mom… help me!_

_Don't… don't kill me!_

_Brother…!_

"…Gasp!"

Naruto covered his ears; blue eyes open with newly-found terror.

"Naruto? Hey, Naruto!" Neji patted his companion's shoulder.

Kakashi turned, noticing the ex-vampire's discomfort. "Hmm?"

"Stop…. That sound… stop it!" The blonde boy gasped, his hands curled up over his ears defensively.

"What's up with you, kid?" Kakashi walked over and tried to lift up the boy's face, resulting in the boy turning away violently, frightened by his touch, and shaking Neji's hand off.

Temari took up her fan, and Shino stopped, interested.

"Akamaru? Akamaru!" Kiba's rough voice came from the corridor outside the room. "Hey!"

There was a whine. Akamaru did not want to enter the room. The dog leapt into its owner's arms, shaking and curling up into a ball.

"Ah!"

Naruto gasped again, edging away.

The screaming, shouting, yelling was combining into one sacred melody which became louder, _louder_, and louder.

He couldn't see. And he wanted whatever was screaming to shut up.

Then the finale came. Naruto looked up. It was an instinctive action. His brain did not tell him to. He just did.

And he heard a male voice, along with the other voices which were emerging from the ashes that was the First…

"_Naruto…_"

It was calling his name! Him!

Everything came into place. He knew _who _that person was.

Naruto's eyes then turned blank and snapped shut.

-

Sasuke paused for a moment, his hands hovering above Sakura's shoulders about a centimeter.

Then those hands went down hard on her. He felt her shoulder bones vibrate violently as he pushed her away.

Sakura fell to the ground, and she yelped softly in pain.

Sasuke heard her whimper. He tensed for a moment, a little worried. Had he hurt her?

But steely green orbs stared right back at him, and his worry dissolved.

"…Sakura." Sasuke's voice was almost inaudible. He didn't really want her to hear his words.

Sakura picked up his quiet voice instantly. The corridor was silent for a moment.

"…I'll… kill you one day…So… don't get involved in this… Go back to the life you're used to… Forget all this…"

Sakura opened her mouth. Sasuke saw the incoming protest and held up a warning hand.

"…Don't get involved..."

He turned to walk away, and Sakura reacted fast. She stood up and grabbed hold of Sasuke's shirt, her hand trembling.

"Can you listen to me? Please?" She pleaded.

The accumulating tears in her eyes made her hard to focus on the image before her. Sakura bit her lip, unlocking the stubbornness in her brain.

The stinging, salty, hated watery substance which, to her, signified weakness-- broke free from her eyes, dripping down steadily from her eyes as she spoke.

Her tone was struggling to stay stable. No. She won't let him know. He wasn't looking at her. He wouldn't know.

"… I… This is not the time… but… I don't know when I'm seeing you again!" She half- shouted, her tug on the navy blue fabric tightening.

"…" Sasuke held up a hand and touched his jaw lightly.

_That's right… School is the only place where we could meet._

He was a little surprised by her statement, but she was correct. Sasuke didn't care much for school, and no one would certainly worry about education when they are in the danger of losing their personalities completely.

Obviously.

"I don't know when it started. I worry about you. I think about you all the time, so much that it's… it's bothering me! Ever since you saved me… I…"

Sakura swallowed. Her tears are making it hard for her to talk.

"I just"— Her voice cracked.

Sasuke choked. His eyes were starting to glow again. _No. Don't!_

"I"—

_Don't! _The monster was coming back to the surface. The violent entity was strong, and it was pulling him down.

_**You don't want to hear her say the next word, do you? **_

The fragile latch broke loose. It sounded mentally in Sasuke's head, and he was whizzed into nothingness.

The figure turned. The girl released her hold on Sasuke's shirt, fear suddenly instilling itself in her.

"**_Sakura…" _**The boy who looked like Sasuke whispered, red orbs in his cruel, hard face shining brightly in the dim corridor.

The ancient-looking lamp which did little to light up the place broke, and Sakura could see, besides those red orbs…

It wasn't Sasuke. He had gone.

-

Shino winced slightly. His insects were uncomfortable.

Then he sensed a slight vibration from the floor. It wasn't coming from this room.

Kiba yelled. "People! I think Sasuke's awakened!"

Akamaru, who was still in frightened mode, became even more frightened and hid in Kiba's shirt.

Kakashi, being the senior, dumped the unconscious boy on the sofa, told Neji calmly to look after him, and sped off along with the others.

"I thought you were supposed to look after him!" Temari scolded Shino anxiously.

The boy adjusted his sunglasses, but didn't respond.

-

Sakura wasn't like any fragile, common girl who would probably start crying in the situation she was in. She was a girl who could think on her feet.

No, she wasn't going to try anything stupid like begging Sasuke to come back.

The girl swallowed, her heart pounding in her chest, and the option came into her head a split second later.

Sakura gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her face, and ran.

_I've got to find the others._

_They can do something about it. I can't._

She blinked furiously, hearing a soft groan coming from the back.

_That's the only thing I can do…!_

There was a sudden thump, and Sakura fell.

"OW!"

_Get up. RUN!  
_She pushed herself up, grimacing when she felt the pain from her knee.

_Thump._

Green eyes widened, and two pale, familiar hands shot out and shoved her hard back on the floor.

Sakura yelped a second time.

"_Blood… Your blood…" _

Red eyes stared right back into hers, and the boy that looked at like Sasuke gave her a crazy-looking grin.

The idea of resisting slowly faded away. The sight in front of her was just too much to take.

Even so, Sakura tried her best.

_Is there nothing… I could do…?_

-

Kakashi stepped in, two seconds late.

His eye widened.

Sasuke stopped drinking and looked up, his new vampire-red eyes flashing dangerously.

There was blood all over the floor.

Kakashi's eye flickered over to Sakura.

_She needs a blood transfusion. Now._

He took out his stake and ran forwards.

Sasuke grabbed Sakura and leapt back, his red eyes traveling over to the window.

"NO, YOU DON'T!"

Sasuke turned as Kakashi appeared behind him.

Shino then came from in front of him, catching the uncontrolled vampire off-guard.

There was another flash of red, combined with silver.

Sasuke ducked the stake thrown by his teacher and, at the same time, blasted Shino out of the window.

There was the shattering of glass, and the vampire took the chance to leap out of the window.

Kakashi gasped as the glass pierced him, but ran forwards.

Suddenly, Neji leapt out, fangs bared, and slashed at Sasuke.

Sasuke grabbed Sakura tightly, _possessively_.

"_You won't get her."_

Neji's white eyes narrowed, and he stepped on the wall, vertically, for two seconds before pushing himself off.

"_Let her go_." He growled.

Sasuke bent down, took Sakura's blood with his hands and licked it, his red eyes glowing defensively.

Neji pounced, his eyes activated.

_Target his heart._

-

…_What… am I doing…?_

_There's… something warm and wet…_

Sakura moved her arm slightly.

_I'm… in the… air?_

She opened her eyes a little, and realized that Sasuke was carrying her.

Sakura caught a glimpse of his face, and almost winced.

That terribly twisted look… Blood running down his mouth… stains on his hands…

He had bitten her.

Summoning all the energy she had, Sakura slowly clenched her fist.

"Wake up…" She murmured weakly.

Sasuke dodged Neji's attack, and looked at Sakura just in time for her fist to collide with his face.

"WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT!" Sakura screamed as he released her, startled from her punch, and causing her to fall through the air.

The wind whistled in Sakura's ears, and she looked on blankly, crying, hoping, trying, and willing Sasuke to come back. She was straining her vocal cords so much that it hurt.

_Do anything! Scream for him to wake up!_

The onyx returned, and Sasuke started to fall, too.

Sakura blinked, noticing the numerous drops of tears that were landing on her face.

They weren't hers.

**Author: I AM BACK!**


	38. Confession

**Author: Thank you all for reading! **

There was a slow cracking sound as the faded, rusty lock lifted up, causing a few cervices to appear on the dusty surface.

Dull eyes watched the black nothingness as a gust of wind blew.

"…_I'll be in control again…" _

Sasuke glanced feverishly, helplessly as the vampire Sasuke passed by, with a wide smile on his bloodstained face.

"_Weakling…"_

The cage then locked itself up, and onyx eyes opened.

He was falling.

He was covered with blood again.

_Why is this always happening?_

He felt something flow from both of his eyes.

_Tears…_

**_I…I hadn't cried in the long time…_**

**SPLASH.**

Bubbles.

Water.

Muffled breathing.

Sasuke sank, stunned. Then something flowed past him.

_Blood…!_

He turned, shocked, and saw Sakura.

She was still bleeding from the puncture marks on her neck, and she was unconscious.

Instinct took over. Sasuke snapped out of his dazed state, grabbed the girl, and swam up to the water surface.

There was the sound of another _splash_ as the both of them emerged out from the water surface.

Sakura coughed, choked, and started gasping for air. Strangely enough, Sasuke didn't seem to be panting or gasping for oxygen at all.

He glanced at the bleeding wounds from Sakura's neck, and felt a sick sense of disgust as he grimaced at the same time.

There was blood in his mouth.

Swimming quickly, the boy waded to shore, out from the rather deeply- dug pond, where the other hunters were waiting for him.

"Save her." Sasuke said hoarsely.

Kakashi walked towards his student, and picked Sakura up.

"No…"

A shaking hand grabbed the damp fabric of the boy's shirt.

"Sas…suke…" Sakura choked, water dripping from her face.

Sasuke gazed at her face for a while, and gritted his teeth furiously as he pulled her hand away.

_**I don't understand**_

_**Why there are so many idiots in this world**_

_**No human being with the right amount of sense would choose to trust in people so much**_

_**Even though they've been hurt**_

_**Their sense of trust has never wavered**_

_**Not even once**_

_**Don't they fear for their own lives?**_

_**Can emotion really overcome everything?**_

Sasuke turned to leave.

"We won't kill you." Temari crossed her arms. "If that's what you're worried about. We're just going to keep you in check."

"My apologies." Shino added quietly, patting his coat a little as he did so. "But I believe you've just taken the cure for...vampirism."

Sasuke felt something hard pound in his chest when Shino's sentence reached his ears.

-

Naruto woke up to seeing a bloodied Sakura in Kakashi's arms.

He blinked, saw the marks and knew immediately.

"Hold it, boy." Kakashi shoved the blonde back onto the sofa. "Sit there and be quiet. No time for bickering."

"Sakura is"—

"Isn't it obvious?" Kakashi retorted plainly to Naruto's mid-ramble, his gloved hands tying Sakura's wound up with a bandage. "Temari…" He called warily.

"I know, I know." Temari took the blood-replenishing potion and fed it to Sakura, who gagged and choked in the process.

"Do we need to perform the ritual?" Kiba asked dully. It was surprising as to how he hadn't spoke or complained in the past twenty minutes.

"It'll be no use." Kakashi explained, with a glance at his brooding student at a corner, and with another hand pushing Naruto away. "Calm down." He said.

"Why the hell should I?!" Naruto yelled, fighting against Kakashi's grip. "He bit her! He's a hunter, yet he bit her!"

"You bit her _twice_, you know."

"I'm a vampire, of course that's"—

"You are no longer one, and you don't have the authority to shout around like that. Sit down." Shino said.

Naruto stared at those ink-black sunglasses, swallowed, and stopped fighting. Kakashi's arm relaxed.

"…As I was saying…" Temari continued, driving herself straight into mini lecture mode.

Kakashi ruffled his grey hair absentmindedly—a habit of his. "Sakura's blood appears to have some sort of anti-vampirism properties."

"But I drank her blood twice… And it only worked the second time." Naruto said softly, steely blue eyes glaring at Sasuke.

"Maybe it has something to do with the amount." Temari suggested.

"There's no way to calculate that." Neji reasoned, a furtive look on his face.

_Usual vampire dramatics, _Kiba thought, annoyed. Akamaru was still trembling.

"So what are you going to do? Let Sasuke drink Sakura's blood twice?" Naruto snapped angrily.

There was a loud bang. Sasuke's fist had made contact on the table.

"I don't want her to get involved in this!" Both Sasuke and Naruto shouted.

Kakashi looked at the two boys, his mouth curling into a little smile behind his navy blue mask. Temari crossed her arms. She noticed it too.

"It could convert you back into a human, Sasuke." She said.

"Then again, Naruto's a special case. He is not a real vampire, so as to say. He had the First implanted into him, which made him one. He was not bitten or born one." Kakashi said, turning to Sasuke.

The ex-hunter did not make eye contact with everyone. He felt out of place. He wasn't a human anymore. He didn't belong here.

_Itachi._

Sasuke blinked.

_Being a vampire could increase your chances of defeating Itachi. Think about it. You have new powers and can achieve things that no human can._

_You just have to feed on blood. It's a small price to pay, isn't it?_

**_...That's you talking... !_**

In Sasuke's mind's eye, the again familiar grin surfaced, and strong, intimidating hands gripped the metal bars of the rusty cage.

_Of course. I can lend you my power._

The temptation was there. Sasuke's hate for Itachi and vampires were fighting against one another.

"She'll be kept under observation. At least for now. She had lots taken from her." Temari said.

She felt sorry for the girl. No one would want to be sandwiched between two boys, with the added element of vampirism added in. Any normal girl would be traumatized. _This girl is really something… To have endured all this crap this far without breaking down._

-

It was early morning. Sakura opened her eyes to see herself on the same bed once again. She groaned.

_Sasuke…bit me._

She'd been confident that he would not bite her. But she was wrong.

She pulled her blanket over herself. It was scary. The thought scared her.

_Sasuke's…other form…_

The image morphed into Naruto, his teeth sinking into her neck…

_Vampires are creatures… who feed on blood to survive._

"…" Sakura covered her face in her hands.

There was a knock on the door.

"Sakura?" A tenor voice whispered.

Sakura went to the door, but didn't open it. "Yes?"

"I… I'm Naruto." The blonde boy on the other side of the door closed his eyes, feeling as nervous as Sakura when she talked to Sasuke from the outside of the room the day before.

"I don't understand… vampires." Sakura sat down on the floor.

_I don't know what to do. Am I making a mistake?_

_Am I making a mistake by trusting? _

Naruto sat down too, his hands on his knees.

"Are you angry at me for sucking your blood?" He asked.

"Anyone would be angry at that. At least ask me for permission, right?" Sakura said, and instantly regretted it.

The blonde boy at the other side of the room almost laughed at her response. _Permission? _

"Yeah… sorry. I was… crapping." Sakura said, and her mood lifted a little.

"Sakura… Are you okay?" Naruto asked.

"Maybe."

Sakura raised her head up, observing the ceiling.

"Why did you feed me your blood?"

Naruto's heart seemed to tighten at that. After clenching both of his fists hard to calm himself, he spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Sakura, to her surprise, did not find herself being angry at Naruto's selfishness.

"I understand. You couldn't help it. But why would me turning into a vampire be of any benefit to you?"

"…"

The events from yesterday seemed to replay itself around Sakura as the door opened, and Naruto grabbed her in a terribly tight embrace.

"That's because I'm… obsessed with you."

Sakura was standing still as she listened to the boy.

"Obsessed… too much…I…"

There was yet another flashback from yesterday, replaying itself like an old film, right in front of Sakura's eyes.

_The confusion… The hurt… Hesitation…_

"I like you."


	39. Locked

Hinata looked on, motionless as she watched her female classmates walk off, chatting in high-pitched voices which generally irritated the public.

She wished—how she wished— for the thousandth time-- that she could be part of them—to talk, to laugh together. But she couldn't, and didn't dare to.

The vampire incident had taken a toll in her ability to speak recently, leading more people to think that she was mute. Hinata shook her head and decided to replace her troubles with work, work, and work.

Math was the solution. She cringed when she looked at the heap of textbooks that were placed neatly on the dust-free table. Not a moment too soon, the eerie voices of numerous teachers and her parents came to her.

_Top student… We expect a lot from you…_

_You must do well…_

_Get perfect marks! They must be perfect!_

Hinata clutched her head and found her knees starting to give way. She did not resist and fell to the floor, with her knees and leg muscle suffering moderate impact from the ceramic tiles.

There was a sudden _whoosh_. Then—

**BANG.**

The girl snapped out of her mental nightmare, watching her textbooks fall to the floor. Out from the corner of her eye, she saw the silhouette of a familiar person…

Or, to be exact, not really a human, but something which took form of a human figure.

Neji smirked, his eyes narrowed, and flicking his long hair back.

"Hey, schoolgirl. You like studying that much?"

Hinata blinked in response as the vampire sat on another desk, waving his long, thin legs back and forth.

One of his right legs caught her desk while moving, causing it to topple over.

"You mute or something? I expected a scream." Neji said, turning towards her with raised eyebrows. Hinata, despite knowing she should be frightened at a time like this, couldn't help noticing his facial expressions.

They were so…_living_, even though he wasn't a human.

Most of the expressions which Hinata saw throughout her life were faces of people who stressed upon her what others wanted to see from her, people who were serious, and people who smiled slightly because they've achieved something—A somebody, an 'everybody' who only cared about money, work, money, and work.

Her parents were like that. She was _expected_ to become one of them, perhaps a businesswoman in her later life and live a so-called fulfilled life with luxuries.

Hinata got up unsteadily, her bruised knees shaking just a little slightly, and looked at her fallen textbooks and table. Automatically, she picked them up in robotic-like movements.

"You're not going to ask me why I came here?" The vampire asked, interrupting her routine.

Hinata shook her head slowly, her breathing becoming hastier.

The thought of being attacked was still scary, but her instinct told her that the white-eyed boy did not approach her with the intention of feeding.

_This time._

"So this is where you study and spend majority of your time." Neji said, looking around as she continued picking up her books noiselessly.

A light, sneering smile formed in his lips, and he leapt down the desk. Hinata sprang back, frightened.

"Relax. I'm not going to eat you up."

The schoolgirl narrowed her eyes, grabbed her bag in one swift motion, and sped off.

"Hey, wait…" Neji's voice trailed off lazily.

The vampire leaned back on the grey desk, pouting and his eyebrows knitted like a disappointed little kid.

"No fun at all…"

-

The patches of orange, pink, blue and purple reflected themselves in Sakura's green eyes as she looked up at the sky.

Her neck was stiff.

"Ow…"

She walked on, feeling heavier, weaker, and more helpless with each step.

_I like you._

"**What's up with you, Sakura? Why do you have a bandage on your neck?" Ino inquired curiously.**

**Sakura shook her head. "I hurt myself."**

**Ino didn't seem convinced by her answer, and opened her mouth to retort. **

"**Good morning, Naruto!" One of the girls in the class quipped in a high pitch voice, breaking Ino's sentence before she even had the chance to speak.**

"**Good morning…" **

**Sakura heard the soft response and looked up.**

**Naruto was looking at her, and quickly turned to another side when she raised her head.**

**She didn't move as he strode past her.**

"**Good morning… Sakura." Naruto said, continuing his soft speech tone as he went to his seat. His greeting was more for courtesy, but Sakura could detect what seemed to be like a hint—a slight change in the reflected background light which stayed in Naruto's blue eyes during the greeting.**

**Sakura looked down dully. She didn't respond.**

A sudden loud caw interrupted Sakura's thoughts, causing her to halt to a stop.

_I like you._

Out from the corner of her eye, Sakura saw two black feathers floating through the air as two wings spread themselves out, preparing for flight.

It was a crow.

_I like you._

"What am I… supposed to do?"

Ink-black. The crow took off into the sky, cawing a little.

A familiar, pale face reached out from the girl's subconscious and filled her brain.

The image of a certain vampire hunter…

Sakura looked down at the hard, concentrate ground, gasping a little as she felt tears leak out from her eyes.

They fell right down on the grey floor. Gravity at work, as usual.

_I'm… crying…_

She wiped her tears, forcing herself to walk on. Sakura did not want to give him an answer. Or rather, now she wanted to blame him for her misery. Her emotions, normally pressed down by her willpower, now rose quickly.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU LIKE ME AT A TIME LIKE THIS, IDIOT!"

A fist crashed onto a steel-hard streetlamp, causing several cracks to appear from the newly formed dent. Sakura heard the loud cracking sound of the bones on her hand and the hollow splitting noise from the sheet of steel which used to be a streetlamp.

She winced.

-

Naruto collapsed on the sofa. _I wonder how…Sakura's taking it…_

Yet, for some reason, he was not regretting what he did.

He'd thought Neji was going to kick him out because he'd become a human. But Neji just went, a little peevishly—"How long have I known _you_?! You're staying here, and you're not going anywhere."

Naruto found himself smiling a little. Then he slowly drifted off to sleep.

-

In the mansion, Sasuke was in quarantine.

He knew he couldn't stay in there for ever. Problems had to be solved.

There was a sudden _click_. Sasuke looked at the now opening door, his irises turning red.

A smiling face appeared. It was an older boy, about a few years apart from Sasuke's age. He was wearing glasses, and had tied up his long, grey hair into a ponytail.

The boy looked intelligent, but yet not, like people would call, a _nerd_.

"Hello… survivor of the famous vampire slaying clan…" His voice went off softly, as though his unneeded sentence was actually meant for sarcasm.

Sasuke stood up. At the same moment, the intruder closed the door swiftly behind him, his glasses flashing.

"I'd like to have a talk with you."

**Author: It's been a long week… And this is...-ahem- starting to be a really long story… I'd intended for this fic to be a long one, but now I****'m starting to think that i should make a sequel instead... . **

**As usual, thanks for reading, supporting, and reviewing my fic! **


	40. Vampire town

**Author: Enjoy.**

"Ah."

Naruto turned, surprised. The frozen meat packet he was holding dropped back into the open section of the freezer.

Directly in the path of Naruto's view, two big yellow-colored bags of potato chips fell to the ground, along with several cans of mushrooms and two bottles of coke.

Sakura watched her stuff drop, her eyes and mouth wide open with shock.

"Ah…" Naruto said again, grinning a little anxiously when he saw the expression which was swiftly manifesting itself upon Sakura's face.

"You…You…You…!" The girl stammered, pointing a trembling finger at the boy, her teeth gritted. "Why…Why the…**_Why the hell are you in a supermarket_**?"

It was Naruto's turn to open his mouth. "Why can't I be in a supermarket?" He remarked, a little offended.

Sakura stomped backwards. "You…" She started a second time, her accusing finger quivering as she struggled to find the words. Then sudden realization dawned on her.

Naruto's eyes widened as the figure in front of him suddenly charged.

"AAAGGGAAAHHHHHH!"

There was the crashing of trolleys as jade irises glinted with murder. Many sprang out of the way as the screaming boy approached.

-

"Huh?" Shino stopped on the stony pavement as he felt vibration through the ground.

"I feel… a tremor…" He started, a little puzzled.

"What are you talking about?" Kiba snapped, with Akamaru barking in agreement. "Let's go!"

"Uh…Yeah…" Shino continued running with his companions across the street, where, coincidentally, was the location of the supermarket Sakura and Naruto just emerged from.

"WAIT- RIGHT- THERE!" Sakura half-screamed as she gave chase.

"NO! EVEN IF IT COSTS MY LIFE!" Naruto yelled, terrified, with tears of fright running down comically from his widened blue eyes.

The two teenagers sped off into the dim street lights, with onlookers looking on with looks of disapproval.

"Girls these days…"

-

"Sasuke." Kakashi opened the door quietly.

The fan on the ceiling rotated in anticlockwise direction, with its speed decreasing until it came to a stop. The bed sheets were messily arranged, the mirror was broken, and the window open.

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed as he saw the spots of dried brownish blood on the broken pieces of glass.

Outside, the wind blew, causing the curtains to move in the direction of the breeze.

Kakashi turned away, closing the door behind him, and leaned against the wall as he thought for a while.

His sandaled feet moved an inch, paused, and moved again.

"…."

The hunter opened the window on the corridor wall and jumped out, making a perfect landing on a tree.

_Close._

Taking out a stake from his pocket, Kakashi crouched in a cat-like position as he observed the black figure outside of the mansion.

Above, the grey cloud moved away from the moon, and the area was suddenly bathed in cold, yellowish light. The teen adjusted his glasses, causing it to reflect the light which it picked up.

Kakashi leapt, grabbed the teen, and pointed his knife at the teen's throat.

"… Good evening, Kakashi." The teen said politely, traces of sarcasm and insolence in his tone. The older man did not respond to the greeting.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi growled, edging his knife closer to the teen's throat.

The teen adjusted his glasses again, both of his gloved hands moving up in surrender.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi repeated, getting more impatient. "What have you done to Sasuke?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Now please put your knife down." The teenage boy said, smiling, and put down his right hand. Kakashi's eye widened, and backed off as an elbow shot backwards.

"Old tactic." The teen's smile widened. "Always works."

"You've gotten proud, haven't you, _Kabuto_?" Kakashi said softly as he stopped.

"Not really." Kabuto spread his arms in front of him. "I'm still… as lousy as ever, so as to say…"

The wind picked up speed, causing the plants around the area to sway back and forth.

Glasses glinted with opportunity. The teen took off in half a second, his movements almost indistinguishable.

Kakashi sped in front of Kabuto with the same inhuman speed, stopping his escape.

"What did you do with Sasuke?" Kakashi asked again, peeved that Kabuto's speed had increased since the last meeting.

The teen ruffled his grey hair— grey as Kakashi's—and smirked. "You'll know."

Kakashi's ears picked up a distant rumbling, and heard a scream. After that came several more screams.

_Vampires!  
_"Kabuto…!"

"Better take care of them first." Kabuto put his hands behind his back, leaning backwards as he prepared to take his leave. "Those vampires can really… _feed._"

The hunter glared at the boy, then hesitated as he heard another scream.

"Damn you!"

He went off, both of his hands holding twin silver knives.

-

Kiba growled defensively as he blocked a vampire's attack. "Why are there so many of them?" He yelped, making a gesture for Akamaru to attack another vampire nearby.

Shino didn't bother to respond as his bugs swarmed two vampires at the same time.

"Hey."

The pair turned, noticing Shikamaru on top of a nearby tree.

"Get down here!" Kiba yelled angrily as he staked three vampires with a single stroke of his knife.

"It's weird. Vampires normally don't appear so readily. And they're weak. This means they've been converted recently." Shikamaru crossed his arms, sat down, and closed his eyes.

Kiba spewed some vulgarities as he took out his stake-bomb. Beside him, both Shino and Akamaru dodged for cover.

There was a bang. Smoke emerged and surrounded the area.

"There must be a **s_pecial_** around here." Shikamaru leapt down from the tree, dodging the piles of grey dust which were settling on the floor.

"SHIKAMARU!"

The trio turned to see a panting Temari running toward them as vampires went after her from behind.

"ARRGHHHH!" Shikamaru and Kiba both yelled as they saw the vast numbers of blood sucking beasts that were pounding, snarling, and stomping away.

"WIND!" Temari shouted, turning to the vampire crowd and fanning her fan in a one huge stroke.

There was violent gusting of wind, and smoke came up again. The fan-user did not stand back and watch her attackers disintegrate into dust.

"WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY?" The blonde girl turned back to her fellow hunters and screamed at Shikamaru.

"No time for this. There's a _special_ around here." Shino said, his voice louder than usual—a bad sign.

-

Naruto suddenly stopped running, his senses tingling.

_Vampires? And so many of them?_

He held out a hand to grab Sakura as she crashed into him.

"What the…"

"Sorry." Naruto said, looking around, his eyes narrowed and his facial muscles tightening. He felt anxious and a little queasy. _They're all around me. _

"…N-Naruto?" Sakura stammered as his arms tightened around her protectively.

"There're more vampires than usual. They're… swarming the town." Naruto said, his body tense and his expression deathly serious. "But why?"

"N-N"- Sakura choked, turning blue as his grip on her tightened.

"Neji should be on the move already… Wait…" The blonde boy went, oblivious to the suffocating girl in his hands. "He's probably enjoying this… That chaos guy…"

"Can't… breathe!" Sakura managed to yelp, trying to pry his hands away. Naruto noticed the movement and released his grip.

"What—pant—are you—pant—coughs—choke—are you doing?" Sakura coughed, her hands on her throat.

"Ha, sorry!" Naruto grinned as he dodged her punch.

"What…What are you going on about to yourself anyway?" She asked, flexing her shoulders.

"You heard me." The boy's face hardened again. "I'll have to send you home."

Sakura looked at him, doubt plastered all over her face. Then the name _Sasuke _sprang into her mind, and the worry crept in.

Naruto looked at her for a while, and knew. "Go home. That's what you can do." He said shortly, pointing to the street. "Come on."

Sakura followed him, her eyes looking up at the sky and irritation swelling up in her.

_I ...can't do anything..._

-


	41. Dress

**Author: I have something to say. -coughs- I did a Sasuke fan art on deviant art! It's my first successful one! Do go and have a look! My deviant art account is listed in my fan fiction profile page… **

**-**

_**Where is he now?**_

_**How is he doing?**_

_**What is he up to?**_

-

**Author: Check chapter 24 ; **

"Okay, how about this…" Ino said doubtfully, observing her friend from angle to angle.

Sakura stared at her reflection in the mirror.

_Dull. Tired. Worried. Anxious. _Those were the words which came to her instantly when she saw herself.

Sakura took a deep breath to try and smother her jittery feelings out. Ever since the she'd met Naruto in the supermarket yesterday…

"_**Vampires…are swarming the town."**_

"_**I'll have to bring you home."**_

**I know what he means.**

"_**Go home. That's what you can do."**_

**I KNOW!**

_**Naruto pointed to the street. "Come on."**_

**I know, and yet…**

"_**That idiot will be okay." Naruto said, in a – wanting- to- assure- yet- somehow- annoyed tone.**_

**Why can't I stop worrying, then?**

Sakura's huge sigh, bowed head, slouched shoulders, fatigued expression and slacked jaw set off an impression that was common among overworked adults—The Ultimate Stress. The beautiful white gown she was wearing looked dull on her despite the top-grade pieces of pearl and fabric used.

"Sakura." Ino went, her voice louder than usual. The pink-haired schoolgirl jumped a little when she felt a hard thump on her shoulders and seeing her companion being reflected beside her. "To be honest, you look as if the grand fair is the end of the world to you."

Sakura responded mentally. _Yeah, right, you expect me to put on a mask and dress up in grand evening gown when I've got an ex-vampire liking me so much that he almost bit me to death and feeding me blood out of supposed affection…You expect me to enjoy all this while all I can think of is how Sasuke's doing now…How very wonderful and nice life is for you, Ino._

Obviously, this unreasonable non-verbal argument was written all over the troubled girl's face as she looked skeptically at the virtual image of Ino in the mirror.

Ino's eyebrow twitched.

"OW!"

The blonde girl had given Sakura a punch on the head.

"I don't care anymore! You choose your own dresses! Here I am, trying to help you out, and Miss Sakura is spacing out!"

_What are you saying? You're the one who dragged me out of my house by force to get the dress!_

Nevertheless, Sakura blinked and looked carefully for the first time. "So which dress have you chosen, Ino?"

Ino blinked too. "I haven't."

Both girls sweatdropped.

-

"Sakura's blood has anti-seal properties."

"Not anti-vampirism?"

Temari closed her portfolio, frowning. "Correct."

"I thought…" Shino was surprised.

"Like miracles will appear in this world. We were wrong after all." Temari said, trying not to look disappointed.

"So how did your grandfather manage to convert a vampire back to a human?" Kiba asked, yawning as he did.

Temari's frown deepened. "I have… no idea." She glared at the portfolio on the table.

"Sasuke's missing."

The three hunters turned to see a wary-looking Kakashi trudge into the room.

"I heard your conversation. So tell me everything. Now."

Temari got up. "Have you found him yet?"

"No."

Kiba took up a stake from his pocket. "If that girl's blood isn't anti-vampirism like what we'd hoped, then there's only one thing we can do now."

-

The phone rang.

Naruto groaned, rolled over and fell down on the floor. He rubbed his bruised face, groaned again, and reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Greetings. This is Kakashi."

"Uh… Good…Good…um…" Naruto turned to the clock, looked at the time, and resumed his greeting. "Good morning."

"I'm going to tell you how Sakura had a hand in turning you back to a human. And your past."

Naruto stopped.

"What?"

Kakashi swallowed, trying to organize his memories in order. "You were mind-wiped."

"Mind-wiped…?"

Naruto's eyes widened. His fingers wrapped themselves over the phone tightly.

"Get out a piece of pen and paper." Kakashi said suddenly.

"What?" Naruto asked, astonished.

"Stop saying _what _all the time. Can't you use proper English for once?"

"Alright, alright! I get your point." Naruto took out writing materials from a nearby drawer and sat down comfortably on the sofa he'd fallen out from earlier.

On the other side of the line, Kakashi exhaled loudly. "This is going to be one long story to tell."

-

"This is… kind of simple, isn't it?" Sakura said, smiling a little as she tugged the rose choker on her neck. "And the choker's kind of… exaggerating…"

"Purity! That's what girls are supposed to portray!" Ino said dramatically, her hands clasped together.

"Uh…Purity?" Sakura looked on blankly. "But you're wearing black."

"Black can also represent purity too." Ino looked at herself in the mirror, apparently satisfied with herself.

"Oh."

-

"The reason why you were released from the First's seal was because of Sakura's blood—it forced the First out from your body. Why it didn't work on the first time is because—that's my and Temari's assumption— it had something to do with the amount. Sakura's blood seems to have the ability to release seals."

"So… her blood is not anti-vampirism?" Naruto whispered. _So Sakura won't be involved in Sasuke's problem, after all. _He took a deep breath, relieved.

"No." An image of Iruka flashed into Kakashi's mind. _Maybe calling Naruto was a rash act._

There was silence on the other side of the line.

Naruto recalled the voices he heard in the room the exorcism of the First, and forced himself to take a deep breath before giving his loudest yell yet.

"I HEARD VOICES IN THE ROOM!"  
Kakashi jumped as Naruto's loud tenor voice blasted into his ears. "What are you talking about?" He asked, irritated.

The ex-vampire swallowed. "I… heard voices. Screaming voices. And then… there was this… guy's voice."

Kakashi rubbed his now-throbbing ear, and placed the phone on his other ear. " Oh. Was it that time when you fainted?"

"I know that man. I've seen him before." Naruto said, straining to recall memories. "He had a... scar on his face."

The hunter stopped rubbing his ear, his lazy-looking eye now wide with astonishment. _Could it be…?_

"He was tanned… a ponytail…" The boy continued.

"_**Give Naruto a mind-wipe. Don't tell him anything. It's not his fault."**_

"**_Shut up!" Sakura's father tried in vain to stop the bleeding from Iruka's chest. _**

_**Iruka coughed, blood leaking from his mouth. "Got--- the lungs."**_

_**Kakashi picked Naruto up. "The seal isn't broken yet." He said shakily, looking at Iruka's worried face.**_

_**Relief spread over Iruka's tanned features. "At least it"— He coughed out more blood—"At least it was Naruto who got"—**_

"_**Shut up, you understand me?" Sakura's father stared in horror as red quickly took over the whiteness of the bandages used. **_

"_**I'm bringing him to the hospital!"**_

_**Iruka, hearing that, quickly shook his head and gripped onto both men.**_

"_**Listen. Give Naruto a mind-wipe." His sentence was clear and straightforward. A shaking, tanned hand patted Naruto's head gently. **_

_**Kakashi nodded his head, iron-hard teeth biting his lips hard under the blue mask he wore. **_

_**Iruka coughed again, smiled at his friends, and closed his eyes.**_

Kakashi shook his head. He remembered. He remembered it too well.

_If only…If only I'd rushed him to the hospital instead of letting him…talk like that…_

His grief rose to his chest, causing him to choke a little. Naruto blinked, startled.

Gloved hands shook slightly as they gripped the phone. "Listen, Naruto." Kakashi decided, and made a silent apology to his friend in heaven.

"He's… The man you said… He should be…Iruka."

-

Sakura took the shopping bag in her hands, her mood lifting.

A little.

_I wonder… If I'll see him at the grand fair…_

_**Idiot. He'd never go.**_

…_You're right… I suppose…_

Ino pointed to the ice-cream stall. "Let's get something cold to eat."

Sakura looked at the stall and nodded.

"Let's go."


	42. Kiss

**Author: Merry Christmas to everyone out there! –coughs- And I finally managed to do a Naruto doujinshi on deviantart! **

**-**

He looked up and blinked as the bright orange glow emitted from the sunset washed over his face.

Kabuto stood behind him, his glasses reflecting off the orange light as well.

"…It's time to go." He spoke to the boy.

"What makes you think I'm going?"

Kabuto smirked and crossed his arms.

"You want to see her, don't you?"

-

"Why are you staring at the phone, Kakashi?"

Shino moved noiselessly to the right, allowing Kakashi to notice him without having to turn around.

"… I just phoned someone, that's all."

Shino nodded. "About the Sasuke search…I was told that he was at school."

"At school?" Kakashi put down the phone he was holding, surprised.

"There's a school dance going on over there." Kiba said, walking over solemnly, his arms crossed as Akamaru followed at his heels.

"—And while you guys are chatting here, Temari's sitting in her room, extremely depressed." Shikamaru commented as he walked to the group.

Kakashi walked to the door. "There's a high possibility that Kabuto's at the dance as well." A gloved hand reached out and turned the doorknob. "Since he apparently had something to do with Sasuke's disappearance."

The door closed.

-

The black receiver hung loosely from the wire, threatening to drop off from the phone.

_**Beep.**_

_**Beep.**_

_**Beep.**_

Neji came down from the stairs, his untied black hair dripping water as he held a towel over his head.

_Made such a great impact, huh…_

He looked at the window, smiling a little as he noticed the little bit of orange that was slowly vanishing over the horizon.

-

Sakura cringed, uncomfortable in her white dress as she held onto Ino's hand tightly.

"Geesh. Why are you so nervous?" Ino whispered, frowning at her friend's nervousness.

"This choker is cutting off my air supply!" Sakura moaned, tugging on the rose decoration which was situated at her neck.

"Ssh. We're here."

Sakura sweatdropped when she saw the flowery entrance, and noticed several boys around the area having the same reaction.

_This is crazy. _

"The designing committee did a great job, don't you think?" Ino grinned widely at her friend.

Sakura nodded mutely. _Oh great. The chances of Sasuke coming are dipping into the negative._

Ino hummed a song as she skipped into the hall effortlessly with her long-inch high heels.

-

Pink petals floated about in the air as disgruntled 'volunteers' from the sides threw them from small ribbon-decorated baskets.

"Students, we declare the grand fair officially open. We do hope you enjoy yourselves!"

The round of applause and high-pitched cheering came from all around, while low groans were heard underneath.

Sakura looked around, hugging herself as she looked anxiously. _Sasuke. Sasuke._

_Where are you?_

She bit her lip, hearing an instrumental song come on. Rhythmic footsteps echoed all around her, signaling—

_I should get out of the way. Everyone's started dancing._

She walked cautiously around the crowd, not wanting to trip on her high heels, grabbing an orange drink from the table on the way.

…_This is going to be one lousy night._

She leaned against the wall, sucking on her straw, her green eyes watching the dancing couples randomly.

"Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened, and felt an ice-cold arm on her shoulders.

…_Who…?_

A gloved hand snatched her drink away and closed her mouth. "Don't speak. Don't turn around."

_That voice…_

She was pulled out onto the balcony, and the doors behind were snapped shut.

Sakura was stunned by the brightness of the moon for a moment, and felt the arm leaving her shoulders. Anxiously, she turned around, hoping that it was—

Red eyes glowed in the darkness as a lazy cloud drifted over the moon, blocking out the light source temporarily.

"Sasuke…?"

-

_I killed Iruka. _

_I killed Iruka._

_I killed Iruka._

Naruto walked aimlessly through the park, sitting himself on a bench.

_..Why…?_

He stared at the lamppost in front of him, blinked, and curled himself up.

Naruto heard Kakashi's voice in his head, going for the thousandth time…

_It wasn't your fault…_

His shoulders trembled violently as he buried his blonde head in his arms, feeling and tasting the salty tears running down his face.

-

"…Where did you go…?" Sakura asked taking a step towards the boy. "I was… worried about you…"

Sasuke didn't reply.

"Answer me…"

_Don't cry, you idiot. Stop crying!_

"Sas"—

Her high heels stepped on the hem of her dress, making her trip over.

"Ow"—

Sasuke went forward and grabbed both of her arms. "Forget about me."

Sakura looked up. "Wha"—

-

Ino looked around. "Where's Sakura…?"

"More importantly, where are Sasuke and Naruto?" A fellow female classmate went, pouting.

"Ha-ha…" Ino grinned. "God knows."

"…!"

A grey-haired, bespectacled teenager walked past the crowd with seeming ease, smiling to himself as he did so, in front of Ino's eyes. It lasted for about ten seconds.

"Huh? Who's that?"

"Who's what?" The classmate asked, blinking.

"That grey-haired guy…"

"You're dreaming, Ino."

-

Sakura closed her eyes tightly, noticing how cold Sasuke had become.

Literally.

_Is he really… a vampire…?_

Sasuke pulled himself away from Sakura, his hands still gripping onto hers tightly.

"Stop crying." He whispered.

Sakura looked down, realizing the coldness which was lingering around her flushed face.

"Why did you… do that?"

There was a pause, and Sasuke let go of her, standing up. He turned, covering the lower part of his face with his hand, scarlet irises glinting furiously.

"I... don't know."

**Author: I may be doing this scene into a comic page. I really want to draw Sakura wearing her dress... And Sasuke in his... um... -visualizes- gothic clothes. (Gothic clothes... That just sounds so... -sweatdrops-)**


	43. Roof

**He wanted to take it all in—**

**Her face, her gestures, her way of speech, her tear-stained face—**

**Everything—**

**And shove it into what little space his heart has left—**

"..I don't know."

Sasuke backed up against the door. _Everything was a mess…_A total mess…

"_You want revenge, don't you? Then come with us."_

_**Come with us…**_

-

_Kabuto threw a suit at Sasuke. "Go and tell her what you have to."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Sasuke, stop being so irresponsible." The grey-haired teenager tossed a kunai at a nearby tree casually._

_Sasuke picked up the suit, doubt creeping into his face._

"_You want me to walk into a deathtrap?"_

_Kabuto smirked. "It's much more fun that way."_

_The vampire ground his teeth his frustration. _

_**Why… Why do I want to see her so much?**_

Sasuke shook his head, shaking off the possibility of any other feelings besides remorse.

_**I want to apologize. That's all. Apologize for biting her.**_

_That was what I intended to do._

_**But…**_

Sasuke looked at his nicely- laced up boots.

He knew if his ex-accomplices were to show up and attack him at this place, he wouldn't be in his best fighting condition with… the_outfit_he was wearing.

In fact, it would probably slow him down by twenty percent. Twenty percent was a huge percentage considering how fast Kiba and his mutt could go.

"… Sasuke."

Sakura's voice broke Sasuke's thoughts immediately. The vampire blinked and looked at the girl in front of him, a little taken aback.

"F…Forget about me." He repeated his sentence, backing away, and felt instant embarrassment at how weak it sounded. Where did his cool and calm composure go? Where was the image he wanted to portray? It was all coming apart.

He bit his bottom lip. What was he doing?

_Why can't I think of anything to say?_

Then Sasuke stopped, his mental state jolting as a uniquely high-pitched sound filled his ears. He heard the whistle. Time to go.

"…"

"You're going away again!" Sakura yelled suddenly, noticing his frantic expression. She stomped forward and grabbed the vampire's hand angrily before he disappeared through the ledge. "You're going to give me a proper explanation!"

For a moment, onyx eyes looked back at her. Then they converted back into red.

"Explanation for what?" Sasuke asked hoarsely.

"Don't act dumb!"

"I'm not."

"I want to know why you did that to me!"

"…It isn't that big a deal."

"Yes, it is!" Sakura screamed, crying again.

Sasuke stared, waiting for her to continue her sentence. Sakura took a deep breath and blasted at him.

"YES IT IS, BECAUSE I LIKE YOU, YOU IDIOT!"

-

Kabuto hung himself loosely from the rooftop, looking at his orange-coloured cards, and with sliver whistle dangling from his neck.

"Sakura, hmm…She's loud."

"And you're one annoying kid."

Kabuto turned around, grinning slightly.

"Why, my grey-haired counterpart. Good evening to you."

Kakashi twirled a stake in his fingers dangerously. "Good evening."

Then, without warning, two stakes flew to the spot where Kabuto was.

Kabuto landed safely on the other side of the roof, his grin vanishing.

"That was very rude of you."

"Battle tactics." Kakashi said, reaching into his pockets.

"That won't be a very nice idea. The whole roof is going to blow off, and then everyone will notice our presence."

"Oh, but this is a new technology. Besides, if you hadn't noticed…"

Kakashi's sentence trailed off as a huge gust of wind blew and caught Kabuto off guard, cutting the back of his clothes and splattering the ground with blood.

Kabuto muttered something vulgar, which pretty much contradicts his pleasant appearance—and sped to the side of the roof.

However, Shino rose up silently to the side, foiling his escape route.

"You play foul, Kakashi." Kabuto said, regaining his politeness.

"But of course." The vampire hunter grinned, spinning another stake in his fingers.

-

Naruto stood up, wiping the tears from his face.

"Done crying?" A low voice muttered impatiently.

The boy turned around and sighed when he saw the vampire standing behind him.

"…I didn't notice you."

Neji walked slowly forward and whacked his friend hard on the shoulder.

Naruto flinched and yelled in annoyance. "What the heck do you think you're doing?!"

Neji grinned, his face leaning close to Naruto's, wanting to catch the weakness which, unfortunately, showed up prominently on the blonde's face.

_He didn't even bother to put up a tough front. _Neji raised an eyebrow, disappointed.

"You finally yelled. You've been depressed all day, you know."

"Are you crazy or something?" Naruto punched Neji's arm, his face looking uncomfortable. "I'm not depressed."

"Isn't your school holding some festival or something?" Neji called as Naruto walked past him.

"I'm not going."

"Don't you want to see that girl?"

The ex-vampire stopped.

"What?"

"She's going to be taken away by some other guy, you know."  
Naruto paused for a while, feeling his mind working. It seemed to have swollen up and refused to stop working altogether ever since he heard the news of Iruka's death.

For some reason, even the slightest mention of Sakura—not even directly—unclogged his brain.

He breathed, strengthening his resolve.

Then he came up with his response a few seconds later.

"… Taken away? Like hell that's going to happen."

He continued walking, leaving a stunned Neji standing alone in the park.

-

**Author: I hate my new school life. (pauses) And I apologize for… not… updating… (gulps) I've been really busy. I've been having sadists for teachers. (GAH!) **

**I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting my fic all this while, and hope you do so for my other fics! (Yeah… right… Lack of updates… -gets whacked-)**

**...Sorry.**


	44. Boom

**Author: This fanfic probably has been long forgotten by now. (I've been concentrating a lot on DA these past few months.)**

**So… an update. I'm planning to make a sequel to this, since this fanfic alone has too many chapters. **

**I couldn't decide the contents in this chapter at all, and I wrote three drafts… (Which were all deleted and stored in the Recycle Bin. Ha.)**

**- **

"…"

The full impact of Sakura's words took a while to sink in.

"What…"

Sasuke felt blood rushing through his face. He paused for a while, unsure of what to do. Then common sense kicked in and he turned away in embarrassment.

_Second time, _he scolded himself furiously. _I need… I need to get away from her as soon as possible. I don't want her to get involved in this. _

_I…_

_I don't want to get involved with her._

His heart was pounding furiously, and the thumping sound roared in his ears. Sasuke's unsettling eyes hardened.

"… What did I do?"

"…"

Sakura blinked.

_I did…_

The vampire in front of her suddenly turned, and two strong hands grabbed her shoulders.

"Forget about me." Sasuke repeated, fighting to keep his voice even.

"Sas"—

Without another word, he pushed her out of the doors and took off, his boots making a great deal of noise as he landed briefly on the walls.

_Damn…_

His face was still red.

-

Ino yelped as the two front doors opened and someone banged onto her head with startling accuracy.

"OW!" Both parties screamed in pain simultaneously, each with one hand clasped over their heads.

Ino rubbed her sore forehead, her eyes closed.

"Watch it, will you…"

"Ow… Oh… Ino."

Ino blinked. The voice was familiar. She opened her eyes.

Blond.

"Naruto!" She exclaimed. "Why are you here?"

"Well… I decided to come." The blond boy smiled brightly.

"…" Ino's eyes narrowed, observing the grinning boy in front of her who was Naruto.

"And you're dressed in a windbreaker and short pants."

"… Is there any problem with…"

Ino pointed to her gown for a moment, then pointed to random boys sulking away at the food tables. Naruto's sky-blue eyes stared at her innocently, and as he looked in the direction of her pointing finger, the brooding young men, the giggling school girls in their glittery gowns, and the pinkish decorations on the walls, everything all seemed to add up.

Horror settled in.

"That's right." Ino spun him around, leading him to the door. "Go get a suit if you want to see Sakura in your best form." The grin that was forming on her face was not unlike Naruto's.

"Sakura's wearing a really pretty white gown!" She whispered in his ear for added emphasis, both of her hands reaching for the door handles.

Naruto stumbled as he was pushed out of the door and felt himself falling. He grabbed onto one of the white pillars for balance, halted his fall, and steadied himself.

He blinked momentarily, his head cocked to one side.

"…White gown?"

-

On the other side of the room, Sakura landed neatly, her knees hurting on the carpeted floor. On-lookers scurried away frantically as she picked herself up, stomped swiftly to the doors and swung them open.

She looked up and noticed movement on the rooftop.

"…Why are your answers always so vague, Sasuke? Why can't you give me a definite answer?"

She gritted her teeth in frustration, her pink hair undone as her delicately-decorated hair clip clicked open.

"What are you planning to do?"

-

The blood dripped slowly, steadily from Kabuto's wound and onto the floor.

Kakashi looked at the gash on Kabuto's back and glanced back at Kabuto.

Temari covered the right side of the rooftop, her hands on her huge fan, her body leaning slightly forward and eyes glaring. She was ready. On the left side, Shino stood motionless.

"… This is a tough situation…" Kabuto smiled, shrugging as he reached for the wound on his back. A green glow emitted from his hands, healing the cut. The bleeding stopped.

Then Shino moved a little.

"Why did you take Sasuke?"

Kabuto's spectacled eyes were focused on Kakashi, but he replied.

"Orochimaru."

The three hunters stopped.

"… I heard decomposition set into that shell of his." Shino said quietly, his sentence filled with obvious disgust.

Kabuto smirked, but said nothing.

Kakashi pointed his sharp-edged weapon at Kabuto threateningly.

"Hand over Sasuke."

"…" Kabuto forward backwards a little. Temari and Shino tensed, their own eyes following his movement.

"…No. What took you so long?"

Kakashi's eyes widened.

Kabuto's sentence was directed at Sasuke, who was standing in between Temari and Shino.

_He did not even make a single sound?_

The long suit Sasuke was wearing dangled over his feet, but grey socks peeked out from under. The annoyed vampire had thrown away his boots.

Temari opened her mouth to speak, but Shino held up a hand and bugs started streaming out in lines from his thick coat.

Sasuke jumped, and Temari swung her fan, wind blowing strong from all directions.

Everyone ducked for cover as the dangerous swirling air which only Temari was immune to rippled past their heads dangerously. It was like a mini air bomb.

Temari scanned the area. No sign of Sasuke.

The air calmed once again, and everyone regained their positions. Kabuto and Kakashi continued having their staring match, none of them wanting to make the first move.

"Where's Sasuke?" Temari asked frantically.

… _You were the one who blew him away. _Shino was pissed at Temari's rash act, but he pointed to the trees nearby.

"After him."

-

"Sakura!"

Sakura stopped, her green eyes shooting death-glares.

"What?" She snapped. Ino retreated a little. _Whoa, she's mad._

"…Where were you? And—hey!"

Sakura swung Ino's hand off. "I'm going."

"Where are you going?" Ino called after her pink-haired classmate.

"Rooftop!"

Ino clenched her fists, appalled, and ran after her friend.

"I'm going with you!"

Sakura pushed aside a slowly-dancing couple, much to their annoyance. The boy started to speak, but Sakura's death glare did the job of shutting him up.

"You can't come."

"Why can't I? You've been behaving really weird lately!" Ino screamed.

The other dancing couples stopped and stared.

Sakura's voice grew louder.

"Don't scream at me."

"The hell I won't! What are you hiding from me?"

"I am not." Sakura was fighting to maintain her calm. "Look, I really need to go." She regretted not taking the other route out from the room.

"And I'm coming with you." Ino said stubbornly, stomping over and grabbing Sakura's arm. "We need to have a talk."

Sakura fumed inside. _I can't let Ino know!_

The girl took a deep breath. _Think. Think._

"… Naruto came just now." Ino said suddenly. "But I told him to go back and get a suit. At least wait for him, yeah?"

_Naruto…_

Guilt settled in Sakura's chest. She remembered how she'd called Sasuke vague.

_I didn't…give Naruto an answer…I'm feeling guilt…Wait…_

…_What is this…?_

"... Ino…" Sakura let out a choke.

She clutched both of her hands tightly, choked for a second time and felt herself turning red.

Her green eyes became watery and glittery for the millionth time, and something seemed to break loose in her brain at that point.

Then—

"WAHHHH!"

Ino looked in surprise as Sakura started crying out loud.

"Sakura"— Ino sweatdropped, concerned. "Don't"—

"WAHHHHH!"

Annoyed students glanced over.

Ino patted her friend on the back nervously, and led her out from the room.

-

Shikamaru and Kiba stood at the gates. They were armed and ready.

Akamaru barked. He sensed the incoming vampire.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had activated his vampire senses. He clenched his jaws, extremely annoyed.

_Four at once? _

Luckily the school compound was big. He felt Kiba and his mutt moving towards his direction, along with Shikamaru at the rear.

Sasuke changed his direction. _We'll be going in circles at this rate._

"Damn you, Kabuto." He almost wished his other vampire instinct to take over now...

"…!"

He stopped.

_Coward. You're always running away from your problems._

Sasuke shook his head and started going at a slower speed. His head was hurting.

_Coward. _The voice became angry. _**He **_was starting to get frustrated at himself. _Nothing achieved._

_Nothing achieved._

_Nothing achieved!_

He snapped a branch along the way, his red eyes looking at the direction of the rooftop. Kabuto and Kakashi were at it.

-

Kabuto panted heavily, sweat dripping from his face. Kakashi had his other eye uncovered.

It was red, just like a vampire's.

"Just like Sasuke's." Kabuto added, managing a grin. "I'm honored. But you see, I'm on a tight schedule."

He flung a bomb, and an instant the rooftop was covered with purple smoke. Kakashi coughed and retreated, surprised by the bomb. Kabuto leapt away from the battle ground and fled, heading accurately in Sasuke's direction despite the lack of light.

"GO!" He yelled, and the listening vampire emerged from the trees, throwing yet another bomb in the process.

A loud _boom _sounded, and the pair was gone.

**Author: And the next chapter is…**


	45. Understanding

**Author: Science kills my brain cells.**

Ino and Sakura sat in a deserted, quiet corner in the corridor, with Sakura still trying to calm herself down.

Ino's sharp eyes darted about to spot lurking couples, rendered her search negative—at least for the moment—and glanced back wearily at her now hiccupping friend.

"I'm sorry." Sakura wiped her face furiously. "I… I lost control of myself."

"Don't worry about it…" The blonde girl smoothed out the folds on her black dress and stared at the sky. "Just do what you have to."

The other girl looked down. She was appreciative of her friend's concern, but Ino wasn't about to get another word from her regarding her current situation. It would, she decided mutely, throw Ino off the _normal_ line of thinking. Acceptance was a difficult thing, and ridicule was something that she didn't particularly need right now. Besides, vampires belong in fictional books, and should stay that way.

Sakura clenched her fists, as if to signify her inner conflicting thoughts.

She was being selfish, and she knew it. Invisible guilt oozed from her every pore. Sakura couldn't bear deceive her best friend, but it was for her own good.

Then again, she was just being another coward. Sakura chided herself mentally.

No time for another round of self-bashing. She had other important things to think about.

The pink-haired girl adjusted her white gown and spoke.

"I just had some… family problems."

Ino stared at her friend. She had a knack for detecting instability. "Oh."

Sakura carried on. "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying sorry…" Ino turned her head back to the star-filled skies. She was no amateur at dealing with troublesome affairs, and given her years of experience, pressurizing Sakura wasn't going to help matters. "Look, just tell me when you want to."

She kept her tone relaxed for Sakura's benefit, and it apparently worked. Sakura's tense shoulders lost their edginess and sloped down gently.

"…Thanks, Ino."

-

Kakashi collapsed onto the cement floor with a thump, his brain automatically tuned to ignore the shooting pains from his shoulders. He covered his eyes with his gloved hand, uttering a word of frustration.

Temari settled down with her enormous fan, now closed, her face filled with worry. Gaara's face still haunted her to some extent, and she definitely did not want any of her brother's insanity reflected on Sasuke's face.

She covered her mouth hurriedly to prevent herself from gasping, and a tanned hand slapped her lazily on the shoulder.

Shikamaru's face held its usual bored look. _Looks like you haven't recovered from that incident yet, Temari._

-

"Oh, so you're asking _**me **_for favors now?" Neji crossed his arms and smirked.

"Neji, it's only a suit!" Naruto said indignantly.

"You shouldn't be using that tone with me. I'm the one you're asking favors from, now."

Naruto stamped his feet, impatient. "But there's no time!"

The white-eyed vampire glanced at his roommate, amused. "Alright, I get it." He fished out a suit from the ancient cupboard and dusted it.

Naruto strode forward, taking the suit in his hands carefully. "Thanks."

"…"

Neji's white eyes glinted, his face turning serious.

"Hey, Naruto." He called as Naruto put on the suit hurriedly and prepared to leave for school.

"… I thought you were…"

"Huh?" Naruto turned back, puzzled.

_That idiot was just crying over Iruka a while ago. Is this Sakura girl that important to him? _

"You…" Neji started, but stopped himself again awkwardly, not knowing how to put forward his mental protest in words.

Naruto's sky-blue eyes narrowed, and he turned once more to look at Neji in the eye.

"Hey." Naruto's tone was cool. "I trust you, Neji." His eyes remained focused, staring into Neji's silver-white ones. "And, well, that is the reason why i haven't blamed you for not telling me what happened to Iruka."

"…!"

Neji blinked his silver eyes in shock. The impact of Naruto's unpredicted, bluntly-put sentence was instantaneous.

"Anyway, that was Iruka's… wish." Naruto added, hastily turning around.

"…"

A little smirk formed in Neji's lips. _The idiot has grown up. _

He opened his mouth and spoke.

"Ha, you trust me? What makes you think I'm actually going to apologize? I have no business in your affairs, and to be frank, I don't give a hoot about them."

Naruto, despite the rude response from his friend, grinned. He understood Neji's character.

"Whatever you say…"

He walked out from the door, turned back for the third time, and made a cheeky face.

"…_**LIAR.**_" It was his turn to smirk, and gloat showed in his young face. It wasn't everyday that he could stun the self-proclaimed expert on psychology into silence. It was usually the other way around.  
And with Neji's expression carved mentally into his memory system, Naruto closed the door, his legs picking up speed as he ran through the porch outside.

His footsteps echoed through the house, and it was only after thirty seconds before Neji could snap out of his shock and start his brain working.

"...What the..."

Unfortunately, the vampire had failed to realize that his blushing face was a dead giveaway.

-

Shino slid down the rooftop, his expression masked by his glasses.

"The two got away."

Kiba groaned. "What the hell… What are we supposed to do now?" He looked at Akamaru.

"Tracking is not possible. Both of them are vampires and we all know about their _fast walk_."

Shikamaru stretched, his eyes looking at a pissed off Temari. "Once they escape from our watch, they move too fast for us to catch up on. We'll just have to wait."

"If only this compound wasn't so big… I could create a barrier…"

"It isn't your fault." Kakashi patted Temari's shoulder, his face calm, but Temari could feel his gloved hand shaking. "Let's retreat for now."

"…"

-

_**Thump!**_

Sasuke placed a hand against a tree, his red eyes turning slowly into normal as sweat dripped from his face.

He was panting heavily. In contrast, Kabuto looked hardly tired at all.

"You should train more. Seems like your newly converted body cannot take the stress…"

Sasuke forced himself to take a deep breath, his hand curling into a fist.

Kabuto leaned against the trunk, taking his glasses off and wiping them. "That Kakashi is troublesome--"

_**Crunch.**_

The other vampire suddenly punched the tree, interrupting Kabuto's mid rant.

"Shut up."

Sasuke was pissed at Kabuto's attempt at trying to make lame conversation. His feelings were in a mess.

He'd ended up being even more confused than before.

_That kiss was involuntary._

He groaned, uncomfortable.

_Involuntary! _Sasuke protested in his mind again.

_**I don't know why I did it. I don't know… It just somehow…**_

How _could _he? Why _couldn't _he?

"… I just can't put these feelings down…"

He punched the tree again, ignoring the roughness of the bark. It scratched against his fist, making it bleed.

"…"

Kabuto, apparently ignored Sasuke's outburst to call for silence, held up a helpful hand.

"Want me to heal you?"

Sasuke turned away, putting his injured hand to his mouth.

The cut _was bleeding_, after all.

-

**Author: I hope i can start on the sequel soon...  
**


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